Goa CM Sawant-led delegation to meet Shah over Mhadei river issue

A delegation led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday over the Mhadei diversion issue.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 7.30 p.m.

Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral, Water Resource Minister Subhash Shirodkar, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane (All BJP MLAs), Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar (MG Party) and an Independent MLA Chandrakant Shetye will be part of this delegation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told reporters here.

"Interstate dispute is always resolved by the Home Minister. Hence we are meeting him," Sawant said.

He said that the opposition MLAS didn't attend the 'All Party meeting' called to discuss the Mhadei issue and hence they were not invited. "They have not shown interest in it and hence we have not invited them to meet Amit Shah," he said.

Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik speaking to IANS, said, "Will be meeting Amit Shah at around 7.30 p.m. so far the meeting with Amit Shah is confirmed. We may also meet Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat," Naik said.

He said that Rajya Sabha Member Vinay Tendulkar will also be part of the delegation.

Since the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the Centre has cleared the much disputed Kalasa-Bhanduri dam project in his state, people have started to vent their anger over the issue and political parties are holding public meetings.

Several social activists, social organisations and opposition parties in Goa have come under one banner of "Save Goa- Save Mhadei'. They will hold a public meeting on January 16 at Sanquelim in North Goa.

Goa and Karnataka are currently battling out a dispute over the Kalsa-Bhandura dam project across the waters of the 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, it is 81.2 km in length in Goa. Karnataka plans to construct dams on the river, aimed at diverting the waters into its water-starved Malaprabha basin in North Karnataka.

--IANS

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