PANAJI
Congress launched a barrage of criticism on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's decision on sharing Mhadei water with Karnataka terming it "anti-Goa and anti-Goemkar decision" while alleging that the underlying aim of the move is to help BJP win the 2018 Karnataka state Assembly polls.
Speaking at Congress House, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Shantaram Naik stated, "BJP is functioning under Amit Shah's pressure. If the illegal construction by Karnataka over Mhadei is not demolished, River Mandovi will dry up. However, Parrikar has now been trapped."
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco also adopted a similar line of argument and said, "Parrikar's stance is only to ensure victory of BJP in Karnataka polls. We will take to the streets and we will not keep quiet. What is the need for bilateral talks unless you want to surrender?"
Congress sought to assert its complete faith in the final decision of the Mhadei water tribunal.
Reginaldo argued that the need to divert a major river flowing into Goa under the pretext of providing drinking water to drought-striken people in Karnataka would not have risen if Karnataka had been utilizing its resources optimally. "Karnataka already has 22 rivers in Belgaum alone, which are not being harvested properly. Why do they want Mhadei waters?" he questioned.
Reginaldo further accused Parrikar of going against the interest of Goans through his decision to initiate bilateral talks over sharing of river water when the matter is pending before the tribunal.
Congress highlighted that as per expert projections of water requirements of Goa by the year 2050, Mhadei is a water deficit basin and hence, no scope exists for water diversion. "The only reason for Parrikar to take anti-Goan decision on Mhadei water is to win, by all deceptive means, the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections for BJP by maiming forever Goa's water security and ecology," Reginaldo lashed out.
GPCC president Naik took a potshot at the ruling coalition by pointing out that chinks have begun to appear between BJP-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party-Goa Forward and independent unity over their stand on the issue of sharing Mhadei waters.
Naik also opposed the illegal diversion of a river flowing through an ecologically sensitive Western Ghat without the necessary permission of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry and the National Wildlife Board of India.
