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Panaji, March 28 (). Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said during the assembly session that he has not given his consent to divert Mhadei and will never give it.
In January, during a rally in Belagavi, Shah had said, “Today, I have come here to tell you that the BJP at the Center has resolved the long-standing dispute between Goa and Karnataka over Mhadei and the rights of farmers in many districts.” Mahadei is allowed to turn towards Karnataka to quench his thirst.
AAP MLA Cruz Silva, Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardesai and Congress MLAs attacked Pramod Sawant over Shah’s statement and asked him whether whatever the Union Minister said was right or wrong, to which Sawant replied, Hume Mahadei Have not given consent for diversion and will never give it.
Responding to this, Sardesai said, it means that the Chief Minister has accepted that the Union Home Minister has lied to the public. However, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant clarified that he had not said so. Defending the state government’s decision on the Mhadei issue, Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar said that he was fighting the matter vigorously at all levels. Shirodkar said, whether it is at the level of the administration or at the level of the judiciary, we are taking all measures. The matter related to Mhadei is in the Supreme Court. The next hearing is in July.
Shirodkar informed the House that the Karnataka State Council has given a clear undertaking in the Supreme Court that no construction (for water diversion) will be done. Shirodkar said, this matter is under consideration. Second, they have to obtain permission from various authorities, one of which is the Wildlife Warden of Goa.
To this, Sardesai said that the detailed project report (of Karnataka) states that the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change has issued exemption of environment clearance. According to Water Resources Development Minister Subhash Shirodkar, environment clearance is not required for drinking purposes. However, further attacking the government, Sardesai said that the home minister had talked about (giving water to) farmers and not drinking water.
When AAP MLA Cruz Silva questioned Shah’s statement, Shirodkar said that leaders can say anything at the time of elections. Shirodkar said, we do not work taking cognizance of such statements. We are working to save Mahadei and oppose the diversion. Cruise said that Karnataka has violated and water lifting activities using pumps are going on from the Karnataka side. The Goa government wakes up only when the media highlights the violations.
Shirodkar said- We are very cautious about this. After the DPR is approved, we have written to around seven agencies to withdraw it and not give other permissions. Our Chief Wildlife Warden has issued a notice to the MD of the Karnataka Project Agency. The DPR states that installation of water pumps will cause damage to the environment, flora and fauna.
Goa and Karnataka are currently fighting a dispute over the Kalasa-Banduri dam project on the waters of the Mhadei River in the Central Tribunal.
KC/ANM
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