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Opposition parties criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of Goa over the Mohadi river diversion issue claiming that the government was not “serious” on the issue.
During the question hour on the second day of the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, the opposition MLAs questioned the government on the steps being taken to stop the projects being undertaken by the Karnataka government in the Mehdi Basin.
Minister for Water Resources Subhash Shirodkar, in a written response to a question from the opposition on Mahdai’s status, said that the central government has notified the Mahadai Water Management Scheme, 2023, otherwise known as PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) in a notification dated May 22, 2023 to enforce the decisions of the Mahadai Water Dispute Tribunal.
“The government is not serious about Mahdi’s case. No one knows who the Barawah members are. There is no House Committee meeting. Will the central government withdraw the DRC?” asked Congressman Yuri Alemaw, opposition leader in the assembly.
Vijay Sardesai, leader of the Goa Forward Party, said, “Is the government serious about Mahdi’s cause? Why does the Goa government not challenge the regression that Karnataka has increased? I urge the government to take up residence in the award as there is nothing in favor of Goa as of now,”
Responding to the opposition, Subhash Shirodkar said, “The second meeting of the House Committee will be held soon after the conclusion of the Assembly session. I personally keep an eye on all aspects related to Mahadhi. The members of the PRAWAH Committee will be appointed by the Central Government.”
The Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, told the House of Representatives that there would be no compromise on the Mahdi issue.
Goa and Karnataka got into a dispute over the diversion of water from the Mahdi River. The conflict assumed greater importance in December 2022 after the Central Water Commission (CWC) approved the Karnataka government’s detailed project report (DPR) for the Kalasa-Banduri project, which seeks to divert the west-flowing waters of the Kalasa and Panduri streams, which are tributaries of the west-flowing Mahadhi River, to the east-flowing Malaprabha River.
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