BELAGAVI: While the Karnataka government is leaving no stone unturned to get all the clearances from the Union Government to implement the Mahadayi project by getting the Mahadayi river water diverted from Goa, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said that his government is extremely concerned about the project.
In an exclusive talk with TNIE on Thursday, Sawant said he would not like to elaborate much on the Mahadayi project and said since a case pertaining to it was pending before the court, commenting anything on it would be sub-judice.
Even as the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) allotted its share of water to Karnataka under the Mahadayi project in August 2018, the Goa government is against the diversion of Mahadayi waters, which it contends is the lifeline of Goa.
However, sources said Karnataka government would be able to go ahead with the Mahadayi project once the Centre grants environment and wildlife clearances to the state to implement the Kalsa-Banduri project, a part of the Mahadayi project at Kankumbi, located along the Karnataka-Goa border.
Covid fight
Speaking on Goa government’s initiatives that helped in drastically bringing down Covid-19 cases, Sawant said, “The Goa government took up excessive testing of people across the state in an attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19 second wave. As a result of excessive testing, we were able to hospitalise most of the symptomatic patients and put asymptomatic ones under home isolation.
On his way to Saudatti Yellamma temple via Belagavi, Sawant visited ‘Khau Katta’, a complex of eateries. Impressed by the concept of ‘Khau Katta’, he said his government would also plan to have one such eating point in Goa soon.