PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that it was beyond doubt that Karnataka would eventually get a share of the Mhadei water, which seemingly contradicts the State government's stand that any damming of the Mhadei river in Karnataka would lead to even further ingress of sea water upstream and jeopardise Goa's own fresh water needs.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference after a cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister also insisted that he has not conceded to the diversion of the waters of the Mhadei, in his letter to BS Yeddyurappa but has agreed to speak about in-basin use, which incidentally is not what Karnataka is demanding before the Tribunal.
"If someone thinks that water cannot be taken by Karnataka, he is living in [a] fool's paradise. He doesn't understand the law. A river which flows through Karnataka, how can you deny water to them? But they cannot take the water to some other area. They have to drink it or they have to use it in that area. I have precisely written the same thing (in the letter to Yeddyurappa)," Parrikar said.
"35 km of the river flows through Karnataka. 16 km in Maharashtra and 52 km in Goa. In Goa most of the (area) water is salty. Sharing of water of Mhadei is inevitable because it is passing through three states. If someone thinks that Karnataka will not get a share out of Tribunal judgement. I think he is living in fool's paradise. How can it happen?" Parrikar asked.
"Every state gets a reasonable share. River sharing act under that it is written that you cannot carry water from a deficit basin to another basin. The issue before the tribunal is whether the Mhadei basin is in deficit or not. We have given documentary evidence proven that 75 percent dependable water availability in Mhadei is about 115 TMC (variable due to the quantum of rain every year). Indirectly 75 percent of average data 115 TMC water is available. The requirement in Mhadei basin of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa is about 145 TMC. Therefore the river basin is negative on its requirement. Therefore water cannot be taken from the river and taken to some other river. That is the main point before the Tribunal," Parrikar insisted.
When asked if Yeddyurappa was misinterpreting his letter by claiming that Goa has agreed to share water, Parrikar said it would not concern him.
"If you try to speculate out of my letter, that is not my concern. I am sorry. I am very clear about this, that I have written a perfectly valid letter in the interest of the state. It is some section, I am not saying only media, some section who wants to interpret it in their own ways. They have green, they have red, they have blue specs. So they see it from that colour. Mine is a plain letter," Parrikar insisted.
He also said that he has received a "tangentially different" letter from the Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah which he has given to the state water resources department to scrutinize.
"It has nothing to do with what I have written first. Secondly, I didn't write to him, so his letter is completely different. He wants tripartite meetings, he wants to discuss diversion of Mhadei water to another basin. That means the diversion of the river to the other basin is not part of my discussion," Parrikar said.
On the stand taken by various civil society groups that they will begin a movement on the ground against him and his decision, Parrikar said that no one has yet written to him, but if they did, he would attempt to explain his letter to them.
----------------
CM headed for Delhi,
meeting with Modi
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit New Delhi for a meeting called by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry in January 8 but focus will be on his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the following day.
The Chief Minister is expected to take up the issues of the central government giving a clearance for coal handling capacity expansion of South West Port as well as the Mhadei issue with the Prime Minister in a bid to defuse the situation.
Parrikar himself confirmed that he has fixed an appointment with the prime minister but refused to disclose what will be discussed.
"I will be visiting New Delhi for a meeting with Suresh Prabhu," Parrikar confirmed adding that he was attending in virtue of his capacity of also being the State's industries minister.
Parrikar's role has come under scanner in recent weeks and stands accused to sacrificing Goa's interest for the benefit of the BJP political party.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CM stands by his opposition
to coal handling expansion
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said he had "no problem" with JSW Steel's cargo handling expansion plans being given the ‘green' signal saying that it would not necessarily mean that coal handling will be expanded.
"It is the expansion of the berth. We are opposing coal expansion. If they use the berth for some other reason, I have no problem. For example, if someone wants to import steel, or wood chips in a packed form, then I have no objection to it. But we have an objection to coal expansion," Parrikar said.
"I have given a clear statement. I am opposed to coal expansion and I stand by my word," Parrikar said.
It is, however, no secret that South West Port Ltd's expansion operations are aimed at importing coal with coal being the largest commodity handled by the berths besides export of processed steel and to an extent limestone.
SWPL is proposing to deploy highly mechanised and efficient environment-friendly material handling systems so that the cargo handling capacity at the berth is increased and in the process reducing environmental pollution by retrofitting state of art latest dust entrapment systems to meet its demand. SWPL is handling cargos like coal, limestone and steel products at berth 5A & 6A by cranes, ship unloaders and wagon loading system.
According to their plans, the consequential capacity enhancement shall be achieved by deploying highly mechanised and efficient environment-friendly material handling system, and by enhancing the existing conveyor speed, and improving the rake loading turnaround time through operational efficiency, thus, making the evacuation and despatch more efficient.
The total cargo to be handled is expected to go up to 12 to 13 MTPA of bulk (consisting of coal, iron ore, limestone, dolomite, bauxite, mineral ores and other miscellaneous cargo), and about 2 MTPA of unitised cargo (consisting of steel bars, coils, flats and plates, and other steel products). The total cargo handling capacity hence is expected to increase to about 14 to 15 MTPA.
Currently, SWPL is handling primarily coal but also limestone and steel products of about 7.5 million tons per annum (MTPA).
SWPL is already facing criminal prosecution for having breached the conditions of the consent to operate granted to them by the Goa State Pollution Control Board.
-------------
DIVERSION OPPOSED
* The Chief Minister insists that he has not conceded to the diversion of the waters of the Mhadei, in his letter to BS Yeddyurappa
* Parrikar says he has agreed to speak about in-basin use, which incidentally is not what Karnataka is demanding before the Tribunal
