Panaji: Following protest from Goa over letter by central government excluding a project in Mahadayi basin from Environment Clearance, Union Environment Ministry has written to State Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stating that they will review their decision.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar in a letter signed on November 18 has stated that a committee has been constituted to look into the issue raised by Goa.
An all party delegation from Goa had met Javadekar on November 04 in New Delhi following which the minister had sought ten days time to study the issue.
Goa was protesting against centre’s letter to Karnataka which had exempted a project on Mahadayi basin from Environment Clearance claiming that it was being constructed for providing drinking water.
Javadekar in a letter has said “this is in reference to your Memorandum dated November 04, 2019 regarding the Kalsa-Bhandura project of Karnataka.”
“It is informed through your memorandum that the proposal submitted to the ministry is more than a drinking water project and thus requires to be reviewed in detail by the ministry,” the letter reads.
“In this connection, a committee is being constituted to look into the issues raised in detail,” Javadekar has said.
Reacting to the letter, Sawant said “that the minister has taken due cognizance of the representation submitted by All Party delegation and as stated in the leter, has constituted a committee to examine the issue.”
“I am confident that the committee will soon deliberate and safeguard Goa’s interest with a favourable decision,” he added.
