Date : 08-02-2023
Bengaluru: A delegation of the ‘Save Mhadei-Save Goa’ campaign on Wednesday February 8 met state Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai and sought his intervention in the river diversion issue.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, the campaign’s convenor Prajal Sakhardande said he explained to the Governor how Goa will suffer if the Mhadei river water was diverted.
“We have requested him to intervene in the matter. Mhadei is our lifeline and it was important to acquaint the Governor about the issue. We have requested him to bring forth a solution in favour of Goa,” he added.
Others members of the delegation said they also discussed about what the state and Centre should do to resolve the issue.
The delegation also submitted a resolution taken during a mega meeting held last month and requested the Governor to forward it to the President of India.
According to them, the Goa government should have challenged the nod given to Detailed Project Report of Karnataka for Kalsa-Bhanduri project, however it failed.
Ever since Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the Centre had cleared the much disputed Kalasa-Bhanduri dam project in his state, people have started holding public meetings against the decision.
Goa and Karnataka are currently engaged in the dispute over the Kalasa-Bhanduri dam project across the water of Mhadei river at a central tribunal.
Mhadei originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji.
While the river traverses 28.8 km in Karnataka, 81.2 km in length of it is in Goa.
Karnataka plans to construct dams on the river, aimed at diverting the water into its water-starved Malaprabha basin.
