HIGHLIGHTS…
A special Cabinet meeting was held to discuss Mhadei.
Urge Centre to constitute Mhadei Water Management Authority
State to write to the Centre to immediately withdraw the NOC granted to Karnataka’s DPR for the Kalasa-Bhandura water project says CM
The government has never given up on the Mhadei issue: CM.
Asked the Union Govt to provide a copy of the DPR of the Kalasa-Bhandura (canal) drinking water project.
If required, a Legislative party delegation will approach PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister to ensure that no injustice is done to Goa.
Goemkarponn desk
PORVORIM: The state cabinet headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant today resolved to urge the union government to constitute the Mhadei water management authority to stop water diversion illegally from the Mhadei river.
The state cabinet also resolved to write to the Centre to immediately withdraw the NOC granted to Karnataka’s Detail Project Report for the Kalasa-Bhandura water project:
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant held a special cabinet meeting today to discuss the issue of Mhadei.
“We have resolved to urge the union government to constitute Mhadei water management authority to stop the diversion of water illegally from the Mhadei river. The state will continue to fight with Centre and the neighbouring state of Karnataka over the Mhadei issue,” said CM Sawant.
He further said that the government has never given up on the Mhadei issue and that they have asked the union Government to provide a copy of the (detailed project report (DPR) of the Kalasa-Bhandura (canal) drinking water project on the Mhadei river.
“We will write to the Centre to immediately withdraw the NOC granted to Karnataka’s Detail Project Report for the Kalasa-Bhandura water project,” he added.
“All-party meeting to discuss the Mhadei issue is called at 4pm on Monday. If required, an all Legislative party delegation will approach PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister to ensure that no injustice is done to Goa,’ said Sawant.
The Chief Minister said that fight with the Centre on the Mhadei river issue will continue.
“I appeal to all the MLAs to be united in this fight; we have to prove that we are together in this battle,” CM added.
He said that they will request the Prime Minister to recall the Centre’s approval granted to Karnataka’s detailed project report (DPR). Similarly, we will request the Union Minister of Jal Shakti to take back the approval as soon as possible.
Sawant also reiterated his demand that the Union government constitute the Mhadei Authority, a body consisting of members of the three river-sharing states — Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa — to oversee the execution of the tribunal’s award.
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 from their total claims of 36.558 TMC of water.
The 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 (thousand million cubic feet) of water — 2.18 tmc from Banduri and 1.72 tmc from Kalasa rivers (two tributaries of the Mhadei) — allegedly for drinking water purposes of the twin towns of Hubli and Dharwad.
