PANAJI
As pressure mounts to stop Karnataka from diverting Mhadei water, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will lead a delegation to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, to discuss the fresh controversy around the contentious subject.
Union Minister and North Goa MP Shripad Naik and selective Cabinet ministers will accompany the CM to Delhi. The government has also decided to challenge the DPR approval granted to Karnataka for the Kalasa-Bhandura project amid Opposition parties demanding CM’s resignation for failing to protect Goa’s lifeline.
While urging legislators to stay united on the issue, Sawant informed that Goa Chief Wildlife Warden has issued a stop-work notice to the Karnataka government over the construction of the dam on the Mhadei River as it passes through a wildlife sanctuary.
Sawant, late Monday evening, held a meeting of high-ranking officials, Advocate General, and environmentalists Nirmala Sawant and Rajendra Kerkar of Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan to decide the future course of action in the water diversion issue.
“Had a very productive meeting with members of Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) in Panaji. Explained to them in detail about the efforts taken by the government on all fronts to safeguard Goa's interests regarding Mhadei. I thank the MBA team for their valuable inputs,” Sawant tweeted.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam said that the Goa government will file an application before the Supreme Court challenging the clearance given to the Karnataka government's DPR.
The application will be filed as part of the ongoing case wherein Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra challenged the inter-State water dispute tribunal in 2019 over sharing water of the Mhadei river.
Meanwhile, Mhadei Bhachao Abhiyan will also file a separate petition in the Supreme Court.
The Centre recently approved the detailed project report (DPR) submitted by Karnataka for the construction of the two dams.
