Panaji, Dec 30 Severely panned by the opposition and civil society groups over the Mhadei Diversion issue, the Goa government on Friday announced it would move court against the approval given to Karnataka's Detailed Project Report by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and also sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its withdrawal.
Addressing a press conference, Water Resource Minister Subhas Shirodkar said that the CWC has taken the decision without taking the state government into confidence.
"We will meet the Union Minister concerned in Delhi and will also try to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this issue. He should intervene and withdraw approval given to the DPR, else Goa will suffer in the long term. Our wildlife sanctuaries will also suffer if water is diverted from Mhadei. This should not happen. People of Goa feel that this decision is not as per rules and law," he said.
"There are three petitions pending before the Supreme Court in this regard. We will try to ensure that hearing of these petitions takes place early. I am confident that we will get justice from the Supreme Court. We will move in court against this decision of the CWC," he said.
Goa and Karnataka have been battling out a dispute over the Kalsa-Bhanduri dam project across the waters of the Mhadei river in a central tribunal. Mhadei originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji.
While the river traverses 28.8 km in Karnataka, it has a length of 81.2 km in Goa. Karnataka plans to construct dams on the river, aimed at diverting the waters into its water-starved Malaprabha basin in the state's northern areas.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday had announced that the Centre has cleared the much disputed Kalasa-Bhanduri dam project in his state.
Reacting to this, Goa's opposition Congress, Goa Forward, AAP and Revolutionary Goans criticised the BJP government alleging it failed to protect interest of Goa and save the Mhadei.
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