KARWAR: Karnataka and Goa could be headed for a stiff standoff over the ownership and development of islands, which were surveyed and named by the Uttara Kannada district administration with the intent of promoting them for tourism.
Karnataka surveyed these revenue islands near Karwar and Bhatkal recently. But in a counter-move, Goa announced this week that it would conduct its own survey of islands till Bhatkal. With Karnataka in no mood to relent, district in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya declared that the state would not cede an inch of land to Goa.
After a report appeared in The New Indian Express that Karnataka was planning to develop these remote, uninhabited and unnamed islands, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant asserted that he would not allow Karnataka to take up projects on these islands.
DPR ready for developing 13 islands, need Rs 1.5k cr: Min
Sawant said he has written to the Centre, seeking permission to improve infrastructure on these islands.
In the meantime, the Goa ports department announced that it is planning a survey as early as next week. “It will be conducted with the Coast Guards,” Octavian Rodrigues, Captain, Ports Goa, told TNIE
But Vaidya, who is also minister for port and fisheries, told TNSE, “We have identified all the islands and started naming them. We are in the process of developing 13 islands. We have completed their survey for development. The detailed project report is ready and it is only for tourism development. We require at least Rs 1,500 crore. We have had experts study the islands and develop plans for them individually.
Let Goa do whatever it can... we will not give even an inch of our land. We have been working on this for the last two years. It has been a first-of-its-kind effort in the state. We are all enthusiastic.”
“Uttara Kannada has 63 islands. We are developing only a few of them. We have conducted the survey and formulated a plan for them. We don’t have any differences with the neighbouring state over island jurisdictions except one near Majali. All these islands are within 12 nautical miles. Goa cannot interfere in the affairs of the district. If they want to survey the islands, they need to inform us and even have friendly communication,” said Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Prya.
The Goa government said the file pertaining to the survey has been moved for approval.
The Uttara Kannada district administration has completed the survey of the islands, which in total measure around 100 hectares. Most islands have been named after what the local fishermen call them. This has been a first such effort.
Accordingly, six islands have been named – Madhyalingada Dweepa, Mongergudda Dweepa, Devgad 1 and 2, (all in Karwar taluk), Hag Dweepa and Kirikonda in Bhatkal taluk. They have all been given new survey numbers.
