PANAJI: Water Resources Minister Vinoda Paliencar has added a further twist to the Goa Government's stance on sharing the water of the River Mhadei (Mandovi) saying that Parrikar's letter to his Karnataka party colleague and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa was a "political stunt." He however later attempted to water down his statements saying that he meant "political compulsions."
The state Water Resources Minister has further gone against the Chief Minister saying that we cannot share water with Karnataka as Goa itself does not have water enough for its needs.
"Our people are desperate for water, if our people do not get proper water supply, then how can we give them water. Therefore I believe that Mhadei is our lifeline. We will not compromise and not give a drop of water to Karnataka," Paliencar said.
He went on to term the letter written by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to BS Yeddyurappa as a "political stunt".
"As Water Resources Minister I have made my stand clear. Whatever he (Parrikar) has written (to BS Yeddyurappa), he has not sent me (a copy of the letter). You ask him, if he has sent it to Karnataka. I can only comment that it must be a political stunt. I do not want to say anything more on it," Paliencar said.
In doing so, Paliencar has seemingly also gone against the stance taken by his own party supremo Vijai Sardesai who had a few days ago tweeted:
"We are against diverting water in excess of humanitarian drinking water requirement , which is allowed as per the Commission. We have made it clear. We are in Govt and will never compromise Goa's interests and will ensure that Goa is never cheated because of political compulsions."
However, later in the evening he tried to water down his statements.
"My leader Vijai Sardesai has made it very clear that we will not allow diversion of water and it is the stand of my WRD department also. Certain section of media has misquoted me saying (it's a) ‘political stunt.' I meant to say that letter might have been some political compulsion by the CM," Parrikar said.
In a letter addressed to B S Yeddyurappa a former Karnataka Chief Minister, Parrikar had said that "In principle the State of Goa would not oppose the reasonable and justified quantum of water meant to be utilized for drinking....
"[The] Government of Goa understands that access to the drinking water is a basic human need. Hence it is to confirm to you that on humanitarian grounds, [the] Government of Goa is willing to consider the request to work out an amicable settlement strictly restricted to drinking water only to the drought prone areas," he said.
Paliencar's latest stand replete with a willingness to give up "anything" including his portfolio for the state of Goa comes at a time when various arms of the government and the coalition are speaking in different languages on the issue.
While the Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni has said that some amount of water for "drinking purposes" could be shared with Karnataka with various reports quoting this "amount" to be ranging between "0.1-0.3" tmc.
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Ready to talk doesn't mean
ready to share water: CM
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday reiterated that he has only agreed for talks on the issue of releasing drinking water to Karnataka, while asserting that this should be construed as his readiness to share water.
"There is a lot of difference between agreeing to talk and agreeing to share water", the chief minister said while speaking to The Goan.
Firmly ruling out any compromise on the issue, Parrikar stated that any stand taken will be within the framework of the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal.
The chief minister was reacting to a report in The Goan which pointed to the stand taken earlier by the government before the Tribunal submitting that "drinking water is Karnataka's ruse to divert water for sugarcane and paddy cultivation in the Hubli-Dharwad region.
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WATERING DOWN
* Paliencar later attempts to water down his statement saying that he meant "political compulsions"
* He says that his leader Vijai Sardesai has made it clear that they won't allow diversion of water
* Certain section of media has misquoted me saying (it's a) ‘political stunt', alleges Paliencar
