PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that he would like to study the Mhadei river diversion report drafted by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), whose findings claim that Karnataka’s plans for diversion of the water will have less of an impact on Goa as a whole, but a significant impact on the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
“I have not gone through the report. It is a scientific report. I will go through the report and then comment,” Sawant told media persons.
“The water budget of the Mahadayi river and its implications for the inter-state dispute”, a joint study undertaken by the hydrologists from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, explains that the diversion from the Kalasa tributary could have “significant impact” but its impact is restricted to the northern part of the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Goan in its May 13 edition had revealed the findings of the report that later triggered protests in the State.
On Thursday, members of the Mhadei Movement and several citizens demonstrated outside the NIO complex near Dona Paula, demanding an explanation from the leading institute about the study conducted by its three hydrologists.
The Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), who is at the forefront of the protest, accused the NIO researchers of “manufacturing this report to help Karnataka which has gone ahead with the construction of dams on the river, despite the case being heard by the Supreme Court”.
