'Mhadei water diversion would hit drinking water, tourism, environment of Goa'
Panaji, Aug 2: Diversion of water from the Mhadei river will severely hit drinking water supply, irrigation, navigation, tourism, ecology and environment in Goa, Water Resources Minister Vinod Palienkar told the Goa Assembly on Thursday.
Palienkar made the statement in response to a question from Congress MLA Ravi Naik in the Assembly.
In reply to an earlier question during the ongoing monsoon session, Palienkar had ruled out any negotiation on Mhadei river water-sharing with Karnataka, even as he had accused Karnataka of already diverting the river water to the depleted Malaprabha river basin through underground channels.
Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra are currently battling a dispute over the controversial Kalsa-Bhandura dam project across the waters of the Mhadei river.
Mhadei, also known as the Mandovi river, is known as a lifeline in the northern parts of Goa.
It originates in Karnataka, meeting the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra.
Karnataka also aims to build seven dams at various points along the river, including at Kalsa village, for diverting the flow into what it claims is the water-starved Malaprabha basin in north Karnataka.
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Dy CM Shivakumar confident of Congress win in Karnataka bypolls
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday expressed confidence that the ruling Congress will secure a decisive victory in the Assembly bypolls scheduled for April 9 in the Bagalkote and Davanagere South constituencies, citing a favourable ground response to the party’s guarantee schemes.
These are ‘Shakti’, ‘Gruha Lakshmi’, ‘Gruha Jyoti’, ‘Yuva Nidhi’ and ‘Anna Bhagya’.
The bypolls were necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, who represented Davanagere South and Bagalkote constituencies, respectively.
The Congress has fielded Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Shamanur, in Davanagere South and Umesh Meti in Bagalkote. They are locked in direct contests with BJP candidates T Dasakariyappa and Veerabhadrayya Charantimath.
“Both Bagalkote and Davanagere are very positive. Congress workers are doing an excellent job, going door to door and convincing people about the guarantee schemes,” Shivakumar told reporters here.
He said even voters who had earlier supported the BJP were now inclined towards the Congress.
“Even those who voted for the BJP earlier are saying they will vote for Congress. People want the guarantees to continue and are expressing difficulties due to rising prices,” he said.
Expressing confidence of an improved electoral performance, he added, “There is a strong sense that we will win with a bigger margin than before.”
Shivakumar also said he would travel to Kerala for two days and resume campaigning thereafter. “I am going to Kerala for two days. After returning, we will continue the campaign from Davanagere,” he said.
Referring to the shortage of LPG, including auto LPG, in the state, Shivakumar blamed the BJP-led government and called for immediate intervention by the Centre.
“The LPG shortage is due to the BJP. Auto drivers and those in the transport sector are facing difficulties,” he claimed.
“This is something the central government has to address. It must formulate proper policies and take precautionary measures,” he said, adding that the BJP should apologise to the public.
“They should come forward and apologise to the people for the inconvenience caused and resolve the issues they have created,” he said.
