Porvorim: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday told the House that, if required, all party delegation from the coastal state, will meet Prime Minister on Mahadayi river dispute issue.
The opposition benches had raised Calling Attention motion on the issue of diversion of Mahadayi river water by neighbouring Karnataka, though the issue is pending before the Supreme Court.
The House witnessed heated discussion over the issue with the opposition benches including Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai, Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte and others questioning seriousness of the government to save the river.
Responding to the discussion, Sawant told the House that his government will not compromise on the interest of River Mahadayi, which he considers like his mother.
“The interest of state is not above the party or any other aspects. We will not compromising on the issue,” he said.
Sawant said “if required, the state government is ready to take all party delegation to the Prime Minister to seek his intervention.”
The Chief Minister appealed, the opposition and ruling to be unanimous on the issue cutting across the party ideologies.
He admitted that Karnataka has begun diverting the water despite different Special Leave Petitions filed by Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra are pending before the Apex Court.
Earlier, State Water Resources Department Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues said that “Goa has lost the water but not the case.”
He said that the state will successfully fight the case before the SC.
Sardesai demanded that the lawyers representing Goa before the SC should be changed as they allowed notification of award of Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal on their own without consulting the state.
Khaunte said that diversion of water will increase the salinity of River in Goa, while it will also adversely impact flora and fauna of the state.
He also demanded that the state should draw plan to utilize the Mahadayi river water.
