PANAJI
Even as former legislators and parliamentarians expressed multi-faceted views on the vexed Mhadei imbroglio at the Legislators Forum meet on Friday, current legislators gave it a miss and Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar pledged to convey the views and the resolution passed to the State government.Several former MLAs voiced their concern over the impact it would have on Goa ecologically if Karnataka does divert the waters of Mhadei as is being planned.
They asked the government to take all on board in the fight and ensure that Mhadei's water is not diverted.
Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan leader Nirmala Sawant, a former minister and MLA, was critical of what she said was a seeming "lack of will" on the part of the government to fight the case with the rigour it deserves.
The government was silent when the Mhadei Tribunal award was notified by the Centre and also when Karnataka submitted its revised DPRs for the Kalasa-Bhandura project, Sawant said.
Former Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal lamented an awareness deficit on the Mhadei issue, including among politicians and elected MLAs.
Sawal said he is certain all would stand with the Government if it showed the earnest desire to fight for the protection of Mhadei.
Meanwhile, the attendance at the meet of current MLAs was poor. Other than Tawadkar and Deputy Speaker Joshua D'Souza, only a solitary MLA, Premendra Shet of Mayem was present.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant did not attend and neither did any of the three MPs -- Union Minister Shripad Naik, RS member Vinay Tendulkar and South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha -- all of who are former legislators and members of the forum.
