the goan I network
PANAJI
With the Mhadei issue making waves in the state in the wake of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s now infamous letter to B S Yeddyurappa just six current legislators found the time and inclination to make it to an awareness session on the Mhadei issue that was organised by the Goa Legislature Secretariat on Monday.
Only six current legislators -- Alina Saldanha, Rohan Khaunte (who incidentally was the only minister present), Michael Lobo, Reginaldo Lourenço, Prasad Gaonkar and Speaker Pramod Sawant who organised the awareness programme were present.
Speaking at beginning of the function, Secretary (Legislature) Nilkanth Subedar expressed his disappointment to that effect saying that the fact that there was a poor turnout was something he didn’t expect.
At the start of the programme, there were only two legislators -- Saldanha and Khaunte besides Sawant with the others chipping in later.
Keynote Speaker Rajendra Kerkar pointed out how Karnataka within three days managed to muster a crowd of around 50,000 which decided to form a political party Jana Samania Party on the occasion of Makar Sankranti with the sole aim of fighting for the Mhadei issue.
It contrasted with how casually Goa has reacted to the issue with a majority of the people being unaware of how important the region is.
However, with ample backing of former legislators, noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar pointing out how crucial Mhadei river, which from Usgao onwards is called the River Mandovi and that if Karnataka went through with its plans to dam all Goa flowing rivulets with between 12-16 small and large dams being planned, Goa could go the way of cities across the world -- like Johannesburg and Cape Town, which according to reports have only enough water to last between 12-15 weeks.
“They (Karnataka) don’t need the water for drinking. There is already the Bennihalla river (which joins the River Kali) which is longer and has three times more water potential and in Haveri which is closer to Hubli and Dharwad region. They could very well take the water from there,” Kerkar said pointing out how Karnataka has abused the existing Malaprabha river, which has caused it to disappear completely for an entire three-kilometre stretch and is now seeking to drain the Mhadei into it.
Kerkar’s statement is in tune with the state government’s affidavit on record before the Mahadayi Disputes Tribunal which contended that Mhadei is a water deficit basin and that Karnataka’s claim of drinking water is a ruse.
Kerkar also recalled how the Malaprabha river has dried up completely because of deforestation and the cultivation of sugarcane and the lift irrigation schemes which have completely killed the river.
The legislators past and present were eager to know how exactly they could take things forward including in the form of demonstrations or resolutions in the assembly on the issue, while Nirmala Sawant sought that information on the case, be put in the public domain in a bid to help mobilise crowds so that people know the facts of the case and the stand of the government, a demand which speaker Pramod Sawant agreed to place before the Chief Minister.
