A crowd attends the meeting called by Save Mhadei Save Goa Movement at Chaudi on Monday.
CANACONA
Claiming that the State government was well aware of the Project Feasibility Report (PFR) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Kalasa-Bhandura projects by Karnataka, Goa Forward supremo Vijai Sardesai also accused the government of trying to silence the ‘Save Mhadei, Save Goa movement’.
Sardessai was speaking at a ‘Save Mhadei Save Goa’ meeting at Chaudi-Canacona, which was also attended by Fr Bolmax Pereira, Sankhali Municipal Council Chairperson Rajesh Sawal, Tara Kerkar, Adv Pratima Coutinho, Janardhan Bhandari, Prashant Naik, Rama Kankonkar, Shankar Polgi, and others.
Speaking further Sardessai said, ‘Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi staged a road show in Belgaum, but didn’t utter a single word on Mhadei. But Home Minister Amit Shah has also exposed our Chief Minister when he said the central government issued DPR to Karnataka after taking Goa’s Chief Minister into confidence.”
Referring to information obtained procured under RTI by Goa Forward Party, Sardesai claimed the State government was aware that Karnataka had submitted the PFR for the Kalasa and Bhandura projects.
“The report was shared with the Goa government on November 11, 2022, but the government did not object to the PFR or the DPR,” said Sardesai.
“The government thinks that speaking on Mhadei is anti-national and now, an officer with the education department has issued a circular to schools to refrain from participating in the awareness programme on ‘Save Mhadei, Save Goa movement’.”
Sardesai also accused the government of transferring one PWD officer from Panaji to Sanguem for reportedly organising a street play on Mhadei in her village.
Fr Bolmax Pereira explained the finer aspects of the DPR issued by Centre to Karnataka and the environmental damages that Goa would suffer as a consequence.
Blaming the State government and the BJP for the Mhadei fiasco, speakers sarcastically called on the government to gift the Mhadei river to Karnataka, and also shift themselves to Karnataka, if the Goa BJP is so keen to win the Karnataka assembly elections in two months.
Janardhan Bhandari said the State government does not believe in democracy and wants to continue with dictatorship as their way and dared BJP to come forward and agitate to show their love for Mhadei.
Former CMC Chairperson Rajendra Dessai criticised the absence of present CMC chairperson and ruling councillors at the meet. Councillor Shubham Komarpant was the only councillor to attend the event.
Prashant Naik described the PRAWAH as a way to fool people and dared the Canacona MLA to visit Karnataka to campaign for BJP.
Rama Kankonkar warned that if water scarcity hits Goa following the diversion of the Mhadei river, Canaconcars would get the last preference.
