River dispute: Oppn slams Goa CM over Centre's nod to Kalasa-Banduri project

The Opposition parties in Goa targeted the BJP-led state government after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s announcement that the Centre has approved the detailed project report (DPR) for Kalasa-Banduri canal project, for which water from Mahadayi river will be diverted. Taking to Twitter, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar on Thursday accused Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his predecessor late Manohar Parrikar of sacrificing Goa’s interest on the issue.

“It was former @goacm @manoharparrikar who first compromised on #Mhadei by writing a letter to the then BJP Leader @BSYBJP. Now it is @DrPramodPSawant who has become a puppet of his bosses in @PMOIndia and @BJP4India. #Mhadei is sold by @BJP4Goa for their political gains,” Patkar tweeted.

The GPCC chief further stated that the Mahadayi dispute tribunal was formed by former prime minister Manmohan Singh on the request of the then Congress government in the state.

”We fought to preserve our lifeline Mother Mhadei & we will continue to protect it. The BJP is all out to destroy and sell Goa,” he claimed in another tweet.

The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Goa unit president Amit Palekar also slammed the chief minister on the issue.

“Goa’s mother sold by @goacm and @BJP4India. Shameless did not fall short of destroying Goa’s lifeline Mhadei for political gains. Time to take the revolution to save our mother to the streets and we will fight till death!” Palekar tweeted.

Sharp reactions have started emerging from the political circles in Goa following Karnataka’s announcement that the Centre has given a go ahead for the DPR on Kalasa-Banduri canal on Mahadayi river.

According to Bommai, 1.72 TMC water would be diverted from Kalasa and 2.18 TMC from Banduri streams, which are tributaries of Mahadayi river.

Reacting to the Karnataka chief minister’s announcement, Sawant had earlier clarified that the neighbouring state cannot go ahead with the project even if the DPR has been approved.

“Despite approval of the DPR, Karnataka cannot divert water of Mhadei River because under the Wild Life Protection Act 1972, no water from Kalasa rivulet can be diverted in any manner,” Sawant had tweeted.

“We shall fight to the hilt for each drop of Mhadei water. We demand and request the Central government to immediately constitute the Mahadayi Water Management Authority, which would ensure that no water from Kalasa rivulet is diverted illegally,” he said in another tweet.

In a subsequent tweet, he wrote, “We assure that the Government of Goa is fully committed and dedicated to the cause of the Mhadei basin and the people of Goa.”