All party delegation under Goa CM meets Javadekar on Mahadayi

Panaji: An all-party delegation led by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday to discuss the state’s concerns on the reported issuance of environment clearance to Karnataka for Kalasa Banduri project on Mahadayi river.

Goa and Karnataka are locked in a dispute over the sharing of Mahadayi waters, and Kalasa Banduri project aims at providing drinking water to three north Karnataka districts by diverting water from the Mahadayi.

However, there is confusion over the status of the environment clearance issued as CM Sawant had earlier said that no such move was made by the Centre while Javadekar had withdrawn an earlier tweet announcing it.

The delegation that met the Union minister in Delhi included state Water Resources Department Minister Philip Nery Rodrigues, Leader of Opposition and former CM Digambar Kamat, Goa Forward Party’s Vijai Sardesai, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leader Sudin Dhavalikar and NCP’s Churchill Alemao.

Kamat said Javadekar claimed ignorance about the issuance of any letter about environment clearance, adding that the latter assured the delegation of clarity on the issue in ten days time.

“I have urged Javadekar to ensure no injustice is done to Goa. I demanded that the consent letter (reportedly given to Karnataka) be withdrawn immediately. We brought it to the notice of his ministry that Mahadayi river dispute is pending in court,” Kamat said.

While the Goa chief minister’s office (CMO) has not issued any official statement on the meeting with Javadekar, a state government official claimed it was “fruitful”.