“The biggest question is this: if Congress is genuinely serious about stopping the diversion of Mhadei water, what is stopping it from confronting its own political establishment in Karnataka?
The Mhadei dispute is between Goa and Karnataka, but politics does not stop at the state border. Congress has a significant political presence in Karnataka and is currently in government there. If the party believes that Karnataka’s activities threaten Goa’s interests, its leaders in Goa should demand that their own party government in Karnataka immediately halt anything that could further affect the Mhadei basin.
Goans should not be expected to accept a politics where Congress leaders in Goa oppose diversion while Congress leaders in Karnataka defend Karnataka’s interests. The people of Goa deserve to know whether the party’s commitment to Mhadei is absolute or merely convenient during an election cycle.”
The Mhadei river is not a political slogan. It is Goa’s lifeline, an ecological treasure and an issue that affects the state’s water security for generations. Yet, every time elections approach, the Mhadei dispute suddenly returns to the centre of political debate. Leaders hold press conferences, make strong statements and promise to protect every drop of water. Once the political season passes, the noise fades.
That is precisely why the latest political mobilisation over Mhadei deserves closer scrutiny.
Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao has backed the demand for tiger reserve status for the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, while AAP MLA Venzy Viegas has sought inspection of projects and a deadline for action. These are legitimate issues that deserve attention. But Goa needs more than political statements. It needs consistency, sustained pressure and, above all, political honesty.
The biggest question is this: if Congress is genuinely serious about stopping the diversion of Mhadei water, what is stopping it from confronting its own political establishment in Karnataka?
The Mhadei dispute is between Goa and Karnataka, but politics does not stop at the state border. Congress has a significant political presence in Karnataka and is currently in government there. If the party believes that Karnataka’s activities threaten Goa’s interests, its leaders in Goa should demand that their own party government in Karnataka immediately halt anything that could further affect the Mhadei basin.
Goans should not be expected to accept a politics where Congress leaders in Goa oppose diversion while Congress leaders in Karnataka defend Karnataka’s interests. The people of Goa deserve to know whether the party’s commitment to Mhadei is absolute or merely convenient during an election cycle.
The argument that Karnataka has already taken much of what it wanted from the Mhadei basin cannot simply be dismissed. The controversy surrounding the Kalasa Bhandura project has continued for years, with Goa alleging diversion and Karnataka pursuing its claim to the water allocated to it under the 2018 Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal award. The matter remains before the Supreme Court.
In July, the Centre returned Karnataka’s wildlife clearance proposal for the Kalasa Bhandura project, saying the matter could not be processed while the dispute remains pending before the Supreme Court. That is an important development, and Goa should use every legal and constitutional avenue available to protect its interests.
But the larger question remains about what has happened on the ground over the years.
Goa cannot afford a situation where politicians remember Mhadei only when votes are approaching. The river does not flow according to an electoral calendar. Its ecological importance does not increase five months before an election and disappear five months after one.
If political parties genuinely believe that Mhadei is Goa’s lifeline, they must demonstrate that commitment continuously.
That means demanding transparent inspections, making the findings public, closely monitoring every proposed project in the basin and maintaining pressure on the Centre as well as Karnataka. It also means strengthening Goa’s own water management instead of treating the river dispute merely as an emotional political issue.
The government too cannot escape scrutiny. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has repeatedly maintained that Goa will continue its legal battle in the Supreme Court. The state has also sought inspections concerning alleged diversion works.
That legal battle must continue. But the Opposition must also answer difficult questions.
Where is the sustained pressure on Karnataka? Where are the demands from Congress leaders in Karnataka? Why does Mhadei become headline material primarily when elections are around the corner?
Goans have heard enough promises. They now need action.
If only a few drops remain to be fought over, then every drop matters even more. Mhadei cannot be allowed to become another five year election slogan. It must become a permanent political, legal and environmental priority for Goa.
The river belongs to the future of Goa, not to any political party.
