Govt claims no ongoing work at site, faces Oppn ire over inaction
PANAJI
The State government on Wednesday maintained that currently there is no work being undertaken by Karnataka at Kalasa-Bhandura project site to divert the Mhadei river water into Malaprabha basin.
The Goa Legislative Assembly’s House Committee on Mhadei met on Wednesday, two years after it had its first meeting in February 2023. The Committee unanimously resolved to inspect the Kalasa-Bhandura site for ground verification and to seek permission from Karnataka for the same. The Committee has decided to write to Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar to communicate with its counterpart in Karnataka for permission.
Speaking to media persons post-meeting, Committee chairman and WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar said the officers will visit the site following concern raised by the environmentalist. “However, we observed that currently there is no work going on,” he said.
Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar had said that while work on Kalasa project is going on in full-swing, the work is set to commence soon by Karnataka to divert water from tributaries of the Mhadei into the Malaprabha basin via Bhandura project at Nerse. Pipe fabrication plant is been set up at Khanapur in Karnataka for water diversion.
“We are fighting the Mhadei battle through three fronts – PRAWAH, Court and also politically. We have nothing to hide. Everything is before the public,” Shirodkar said while informing that the Supreme Court is likely to hear the matter this week.
It is learnt that the Supreme Court has listed Mhadei matter for hearing in the week commencing from January 20.
The Minister informed that the Committee will write to the Goa Speaker requesting him to write to the Karnataka speaker seeking permission to inspect the project sites. “The inspection will help us to understand the ground reality,” he said.
Earlier, the Opposition MLAs, who are part of the committee, slammed the government for their inaction to stop Karnataka from diverting water.
“The meeting of the House Committee on Mhadei was delayed for two years. While Karnataka is acting swiftly, our government is sleeping and not serious at all. Diversion of Mhadei has been going on in full swing and we are here denying it,” GFP chief and MLA Vijai Sardesai said.
“The House Committee is mere eye wash and there is nothing coming out of it,” he commented.
Sardesai said that the government has spent a whopping Rs 25 crore on fees, travel and accommodation of 18 advocates, who represented the State in Mhadei Tribunal and the Supreme Court, since 2020.
Revolutionary Party’s MLA Viresh Borkar took on Goa Congress leaders for failing to take up the issue with their party government in Karnataka. He said that Congress leaders need to take initiative in the Mhadei matter as the issue is concerning the entire State.
