K'taka set to begin water diversion work at Nerse: Environmentalist

PANAJI

Stating that after Kalasa, Karnataka is all set to commence work to divert water at Nerse for its proposed Bandhura project, renowned environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar charged that Goa’s case has weakened with neighbouring States including Maharashtra working in full-swing to divert Mhadei river water. He slammed the BJP-led government for falling short in its efforts to fight-out the contentious issue that has been haunting the State for more than two decades now.

Ahead of the State Legislative Assembly’s House Committee meeting, scheduled on January 10, Kerkar appealed all the members including the chairman Minister Subhash Shirodkar to visit the Kalasa-Bandhura site rather than discussing the issue in close-doors.

Speaking to The Goan, Kerkar said that while work on Kalasa project is going full-swing, the work is set to commence soon by Karnataka to divert water from tributaries of the Mhadei into the Malaprabha basin via Bandhura project at Nerse. “Pipe fabrication plant is been set up at Khanapur in Karnataka for water diversion. This is also confirmed by a WRD engineer who visited the site. Despite that the government has done nothing,” he said.

According to the WRD engineer, Kerkar said that Karnataka has completed the alignment of pipeline for diversion of the Bhandura nullah tributary of Mhadei in Nerse to the Malaprabha river through the forest road and has done markings with cemented poles at regular intervals. “These are clear indications that work is set to commence shortly,” he said.

At Kalasa project site in Kankumbi, the water, which was earlier flowing towards the direction of Goa, has now been passing through the RCC conduits into the Malaprabha river, he informed further.

“What is the Goa government doing? Our case has weakened completely. Karnataka is undertaking works based on approval granted to its DPR. And Goa has failed to stop them,” he said.

Referring to the House Committee meeting, Kerkar said that the members, if they are really interested in the issue, should visit these sites, inspect it, prepare a report and submit it to the government and press for necessary action. “Or else, this committee will be nothing more than a joke and will have no standing,” he said.

The 12- member House Committee has members from across all parties- BJP, Congress, MGP, GFP, AAP, RG and Independent MLAs too. The meeting scheduled this week is the second meeting of the Committee since it was constituted in January, 2023.