MARGAO
South Goa Member of Parliament, Francisco Sardinha on Monday urged the Goa government to wake up for deep slumber on the contentious Mhadei issue, cautioning that posterity will curse the present generation if the interest of Goa on Mhadei not protected.
He also appealed to Goans in general to unite and brace up for an agitation to protect the river from being diverted to Karnataka for the purpose of irrigation.
Addressing the media, Sardinha charged the BJP government in Goa for sleeping over the issue, saying since the centre should have taken the governments of Goa and Karnataka together since the party is ruling these states. He cautioned that the Centre should not make the neighbouring state happy with an eye on the Assembly polls later this year, warning that the river Zuari and Mandovi will run dry if any attempt to divert the Mhadei river water to Karnataka. “Goa has not seen a drought, but it may come anytime if the Mhadei is diverted to Karnataka”, he warned.
Urging the government to adopt a resolution and send it to the centre urgently on the issue, Sardinha said the government should take an appointment with the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Union Irrigation Minister to discuss the issue. “All the MPs from Goa will also join the delegation to the Centre to make Goa’s strong case on Mhadei”, he added.
Asserting that Mhadei river is like a mother for the people of Goa, Sardinha gave a call to the people of Goa to come out to save the river and stop Karnataka from diverting the river water. “Not only the elected representatives, but the people in general should come out to fight to protect Mhadei from diversion”, he said.
