BELAGAVI: The approval given by the Centre to the Karnataka government's revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri project has not gone down well with the Goa government and its opposition parties.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant held a special cabinet meeting on Monday where a decision was taken to appeal to the Centre for withdrawal of the approval given to Karnataka's revised DPR. This comes at a time when Sawant faces intense scrutiny from rival parties for failing to halt the Central government's nod to Karnataka over the Mahadayi project.
Sawant informed the cabinet that a legislative party delegation from Goa will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah if the situation demands. He also reiterated his demand for the creation of a Mahadayi Water Management Authority to oversee the execution of Mahadayi tribunal's award and asked the Centre to provide a copy of the DPR of the Kalasa-Banduri project.
The Mahadayi Interstate Water Disputes Tribunal, in a verdict in August 2018, granted Karnataka a total of 13.42 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water out of their demand for 36.558 TMC of water. The DPR's approval was granted by the Central Water Commission based on a project drawn up by the Karnataka Water Resources Department that sought to divert 3.9 TMC — 2.18 TMC from Banduri and 1.72 TMC from Kalasa Nala for drinking water purposes in the twin cities of Hubli and Dharwad and some other areas in North Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Goa Pradesh Congress hit out at the ruling BJP and demanded a special legislative assembly session on Mahadayi. The Goa Congress leadership also demanded the state government to share all documents pertaining to the Mahadayi water dispute and said "every MLA from the opposition parties should get a copy of the documents before the start of the Goa legislative assembly session."
The Congress party also appealed to CM Sawant to meet PM Modi immediately to halt the approval given to Karnataka's DPR withdrawn in the larger interest of Goans.
Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai, while taking Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to task on the Mahadayi river issue, said Sawant was appointed as chief minister only "for the sellout of Mahadayi to Karnataka."
"Sawant was never serious on Mahadayi. His predecessor (former CM Manohar Parrikar) had set up a full-fledged Mahadayi Office at Goa Niwas which is now shut."
Goa Aam Aadmi Party Convenor Amit Palekar on Monday demanded Sawant's resignation over his failure to save the Mahadayi river. "I give a call to all Goans and MLAs to join the movement to save our River Mahadayi. Everyone should unite together," said Palekar.
Several leaders and environmentalists in Goa have been opposing the diversion of Mahadayi river waters (Mandovi river), which they claim has been the lifeline of Goans. The leaders said changing the course of its natural flow could have damaging effects in the future and added that Goa could eventually face the threat of drought due to a severe shortage of water in the future.