Panaji: Two days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on Mhadei, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral has condemned it and backed CM Pramod Sawant on the issue.
“Our CM has not given any consent to divert Mhadei river water. I know he will never do it. I don’t know what Union Home Minister Amit Shah is speaking about,” the minister said adding that next time, when Goa delegation will go to meet Shah, they will ask about it.
When asked whether he condemns the statement, Cabral said “Of course, I condemn the statement (made by Amit Shah). We are not against usage of water within the basin but we will never allow the water to be diverted outside.”
Cabral said that the Award given by Inter State Water Dispute Tribunal on Mhadei was for the purpose of “drinking water.” “I don’t know from where this statement comes which speaks about water to be diverted for Irrigation purpose,” he said.
The minister, who was part of the delegation which had met Shah earlier last month, said that they had gone to him because under the Indian Constitution, the Union Home Minister is the authority to solve issues between the two states.
He said that Goa has two options, one is central leadership, which if they don’t listen, then can fight the case legally.
