Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Inaugurating a two-day workshop on “Mhadei : A Multidisciplinary Exploration ” being organised by the Multidisciplinary Cluster on Mhadei, (MCM) Advocate General of Goa said there is a need for greater interface between the government and academia on the issue so that more policy inputs can be generated for the state on the Mhadei issue. He pointed out that academic community could help in studying the larger implications of inter basin transfer by bringing in experts from hydrology, environmental science and biological sciences to give an example.
Delivering the keynote address, Sandeep Nadkarni, former Chief Engineer, Water Resource Department, Goa traced the origin of the Mhadei dispute since the 1990s and the stages it went through before the Tribunal Award of 2018. He also presented a SWOT analysis on the mhadei issue from Goa’s perspective and highlighted the need for deeper studies on the scientific basis to ascertain the potential impact Mhadei diversion could have on Goa.
Prof. Rahul Tripathi, Political Science Programme and co-convenor of the MCM on Mhadei, welcomed the gathering and gave a brief on the aims and objectives of the Cluster. Prof. Ganesha Somayaji, Dean, D.D Kosambi School of Social Sciences, chaired the session. Dr Prakash Parienkar, Konkani Programme and Co-Convenor MCM otlined the significance of Mhadei as the lifeline of Goa and proposed the vote of thanks. The two-day workshop shall see around twenty presentations from diverse disciplines on different dimensions of river Mhadei and will eventually seek to create a greater knowledge respository on MHadei from Goa’s perspective.
