the goan I network
PANAJI
The Mhadei Bachao Andolan, Goa (MBA) in a public meet on Monday served a seven-day ultimatum to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to get a firm assurance or action from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEF&CC) for withdrawal of the letter issued to Karnataka which states that EC clearance is not required for a drinking water project involving diversion of the river waters at Kalasa-Bhandura.
The MBA also demanded that the Chief Minister should resign if he failed to get such MoEF&CC decision within seven days.
Hundreds attended the Monday public meeting orgainsed by MBA at the Maratha Samaj Hall in Panaji. The recently formed forum has decided to intensify the agitation on the Mhadei issue by holding taluka-wise public meetings in the coming days.
Convenor of MBA, Arvind Bhatikar said, the BJP leaders from Goa and the Centre tend to sacrifice State’s interest giving more importance to party interest and there is a challenge before the Goa people to successfully resist it. He said, it needed an effort similar to the movements to oppose the the faulty Regional Plan and the imposition of Special Economic Zones in Goa.
“Karnataka has more MPs so naturally the Central government will give more weightage to that State rather than Goa
which has only 2 MPs”, said Bhatikar.
While explaining in detail the ecologically fallout of diversion of Mhadei waters, environmental activist Rajendra Kerkar said youths from Goa should study the harmful impact of diversion of Mhadei water and contribute to defend the case at legal forums like the Supreme Court.
The existence of Mhadei, the biggest among all 11 rivers of Goa, is in danger due to Karnataka’s plans to divert its waters, he said.
“The water diverted from Kalasa-Bhandura project will increase the salinity of river Mhadei making it unfit for use as drinking water and also affect marine and human life, particularly at a time when global warming and climate change is affecting the fragile eco-systems of Goa”, Kerkar said.
Karnataka has started work of building canals without taking permission from MoEFCC and also from National Board of Wildlife of India.
He said that thirst of Karnataka cannot be quenched only through this project as Karnataka also has plans to divert Dudhsagar water by building 4 dams on the upstream of Khandepar river.
He said that the letter given by MoEFCC has created confusion as if Karnataka has been given environmental clearance and it is essential to withdraw the letter of MoEFCC.
He said Karnataka has many rivers while Mhadei is major lifeline of Goa. Karnataka near Hubli has Benihalli a tributary of river Malaprabha but the water is hardly used also 22 rivers in Belgaum area are unutilised.
Co-convener of MBA and AAP leader Elvis Gomes said that Goa has drinking water issue as the wells in the cities and some big villages have got contaminated. He said, Mhadei water is important for meeting the drinking water needs of Goa’s people.
He said that all parties and people of religion have come together to save Mhadei under the forum of MBA.
Co-convener of MBA Subhash Velingkar critisised Goa government for compromising Goa’s interest on Mhadei for party benefit adding that if CM is not capable of solving issue than all ministers should resign in en mass.
Criticising government for imposing section 144 which is deterring people rights to express their views Velingkar demanded that government should immediately repeal these sections.
“In Goa there is no history of communal violence. This is not Kashmir or Uttar Pradesh. Keeping this in mind the chief Minister should immediately direct its officers to repeal section 144”, said Velingkar.
He warned the legislators that they have to pay political price if they fail to work to solve the issue which are of importance of Goa’s existence.
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CM: No question of a compromise
PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said there is no question of any compromise on Goa’s interests with regard to the Mhadei dispute with Karnataka and dismissed allegations of weakness of his government’s response to the Centre made by his political opponents.
Sawant said, he has repeatedly assured that a response from the Centre will come soon and there is no need to panic.”In any case Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar will be coming to Goa in a couple of days for the inauguration of the International Film Festival of India. We will ask him to clarify,” Sawant said and dismissed the taunts of Goa Forward Party president, Vijai Sardesai that his leadership was weak and he did not wield any influence at the Centre.
