BENGALURU: Water Resources Minister M B Patil on Saturday accused Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of frequently changing his stand on sharing Mahadayi river water with Karnataka. “In a letter to BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, the Goa CM had expressed his willingness to discuss the issue with Karnataka to provide drinking water to drought-hit areas.
However, after that, Parrikar has reportedly stated that they will not allow the river water to be diverted to any other areas and to be used only in the river basin,’’ Patil stated. Patil said if the Goa government agrees to discuss sharing of water only in the Mahadayi basin, it will not help Karnataka in any way. “The Goa CM is frequently changing his stand on the issue and we are surprised by Yeddyurappa’s silence,’’ the minister stated.
Taking exception to Parrikar’s reported statements terming Mahadayi as a ‘deficit basin’, Patil said less than 10 tmcft of water is used in Mahadayi basin in Goa and the remaining water is wasted as it goes to sea. Karnataka’s legal team is presenting its case before the tribunal, he added.