Though Central Government has permitted Karnataka to divert waters of the Mhadei river by approving a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Karnataka last week, Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant claims that his government would never allow Karnataka to divert a single drop of water.
In the same breath, he also admits that Karnataka has already diverted Mhadei water illegally while destroying the forests at Kankumbi and building a canal of 3.5 km 15 years ago.
He also admits that the diversion of Mhadei water would create a crisis in the whole of North Goa, besides agriculture. It also includes the tourism industry, which survives on drinking water supplied by the Mhadei river.
CM Dr Sawant briefed the media today after holding a cabinet meeting of the BJP-led government convened to discuss mainly the Mhadei issue.
The fear of a water crisis has been created by their own BJP government at the Centre, led by Narendra Modi, to benefit the BJP government of Karnataka, on the eve of the Assembly election scheduled in May.
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY?
- Legal & Technical strategy planned out to demand immediate withdrawal of the permission granted to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Karnataka by the Central Government
- Goa Wild Life Board issuing notice today to Karnataka under the Wild Life Protection Act
- The first hearing on 5 January of the petition filed before the Supreme Court by Goa and Maharashtra. They have challenged the award of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal to divert 3.9 TMC water of Mhadei to Karnataka
- Meeting Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and Union Minister for Water Resources, as fast as possible, to press for demands
- Planning a meeting of all the MLAs, followed by a joint delegation of all parties in the Legislative Assembly to the Centre
- Demand to appoint long-pending Water Management Authority to decide on Mhadei water with three representatives of the Centre and one each from Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra
Watch Live Press Briefing by Goa CM Dr Pramod Sawant on Mhadei issue
FEARS EXPRESSED BY CM
- Water flow to the Anjune dam and Ganjem water reservoir would reduce drastically which would create a crisis of drinking water in the whole of North Goa, including the hotel industry
- The salinity of the Mhadei river (Mandovi river) would increase and the agriculture activity all along the river in Sattari and Bicholim talukas would be severely affected
- Sanctuaries and National Parks like Mahavir Sanctuary, Mhadei Sanctuary, Bondla Sanctuary, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary & Mollem National Park in Goa as well as Bhimgarh Sanctuary in Karnataka would be affected
- Flora and fauna of the whole Sahyadri range passing through Goa would be destroyed to a large extent
CLAIMS BY DR SAWANT
- Karnataka cannot start work on the Mhadei diversion after permitting DPR since it’s only in-principle permission and the state needs to fulfil conditions, including permission for Environment and Forests Ministry
- No new work has been started by Karnataka except for the canals built at Kankumbi 15 years ago, which are blocked by erecting a wall to block the water
- Karnataka conducting only surveys of the areas, no actual work has been started to date
