MAPUSA
While the Calangute gram sabha on Sunday unanimously opposed diversion of Mhadei River, Calangute Sarpanch, Joseph Sequeira exhorted the people of Calangute to attend the meeting in Sanquelim ostensibly to save ‘Mother Mhadei’ on Monday and has also arranged a bus which will leave from the Calangute panchayat office at 2 pm.
“We need to stand together in opposing the diversion of the Mhadei River. We will all go for the meeting on January 16 in Sanquelim and support the movement. All those who wish to come can board the bus which will leave from the panchayat office at around 2 pm,” Sequeira said.
The Calangute Sarpanch was responding to a resolution moved by a local Eknath Nagvenkar in the gram sabha meeting opposing the diversion of Mhadei.
Nagvenkar said Goa was fighting the most crucial battle of saving Mhadei river and all Goans will have to oppose the diversion of the river.
He said already 25 per cent of the tributaries of the Mhadei river have already gone dry and diversion of the river as envisaged by the Karnataka government will sound the death knell of Goans.
Slamming the political class for their failure to resolve the issue of Mhadei river in favour of Goa, he said, “All the 40 MLAs should now resign if they want to save the Mhadei river.”
President of Calangute Constituency Forum, Premanand Diukar also gave a clarion call to oppose the diversion of Mhadei river.
“Mhadei is the lifeline of Goa. Every citizen of Goa should object to the decision to divert the river,” Diukar said.
Later the gram sabha unanimously adopted the resolution to save the Mhadei and oppose its diversion.
