Goa CM ‘lost mental balance’, Karnataka govt will proceed with Mahadayi river project: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday hit back at Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over his remarks on the Mahadayi river project, saying he had “lost his mental balance” and that the state would proceed with the project.
Shivakumar, also the water resources minister, maintained that the work is being undertaken on Karnataka’s land and affirmed the government's intent to push ahead.
He also reminded the Goa CM about the importance of inter-state relations, adding that he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union ministers concerned to discuss the matter.
Addressing the Goa Assembly on Tuesday, Sawant had claimed that the Centre would not approve the Mahadayi project.
He also said the Goa government would file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka for carrying out activities aimed at diverting Mahadayi river water.
"Goa CM has spoken on the Mahadayi water issue. He has lost his mental balance; he is not aware of the federal structure. The Mahadayi water award has already been decided, and a tender has been invited," Shivakumar claimed, speaking to reporters.
"The tender has been floated, and work must begin. Only forest clearance was required, and we were given a notice — but nowhere were we told not to take up the work," he added.
"His (Goa CM’s) statement is condemnable. He cannot stop us; he doesn’t have that right. I will start the work. Let them try to stop it—let me see," Shivakumar said.
Noting that he would meet all Karnataka MPs on this issue, the Deputy CM claimed, "This is a question of our self-esteem. Your (MPs) silence is a mistake. We have 28 Lok Sabha members and 12 Rajya Sabha members—all of them must unite and fight for Karnataka. We cannot sell out the state's interests."
He said pressure must be mounted on the union ministers and the prime minister. "I will seek time from the union water resources minister (Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil) and the prime minister. I will try to take all the MPs along to meet them. Let them come. I will do everything necessary to begin the work."
Asked whether the central ministers were being "misleading", Shivakumar said they are well-balanced and "do not engage in politics". He further accused the Goa government of "politicising the issue."
"I have met central ministers five to six times. All of them want development work to proceed. The union forest and water resources ministers understand the problem; they are not playing politics. The Goa government is the one doing politics—maybe there is some issue there. My final stand is that we will take all necessary steps to begin the work," Shivakumar claimed.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also criticised Sawant’s remarks on Wednesday, calling them an "insult" to the people of Karnataka. He questioned why the Centre had not officially communicated any concerns regarding the project
Goa has been opposing Karnataka’s Kalasa-Banduri projects in the Mahadayi river basin.
In 2018, the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal adjudicated the inter-State water dispute, allocating 13.42 tmcft of water to Karnataka, 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra, and 24 tmcft to Goa. The award was notified by the Union government in 2020.
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TN seeks duty-free cotton imports to support textile sector: CM Vijay writes to PM
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the import duty on cotton.
In his first letter to Modi after taking over as chief minister of the state, he said Tamil Nadu is the country’s largest textile and apparel exporting state.
Lakhs of people are dependent on this sector for both direct and indirect employment, especially women from rural and semi-urban backgrounds, Vijay pointed out.
Stating that the industry is facing a severe crisis due to an increase in cotton prices and consequently yarn prices, he said, “I understand this is caused primarily due to a shortage in cotton production and increased trading activity in the country.”
Pointing out that the price of cotton has increased from Rs 54,700 to Rs 67,700 per candy—an increase of 25 per cent over the last two months—while yarn prices have increased from Rs 301 to Rs 330 per kg, he said, “In this situation, the continued supply of raw material can be ensured only through imports.”
However, there is an import duty of 11 per cent on cotton, he said, adding that in such a situation, permitting duty-free cotton imports will help the industry meet increasing export commitments and remain globally competitive.
Vijay said that after agriculture, the textile and apparel sector is one of the largest employment-generating sectors.
“There is a significant responsibility on the government to safeguard the employment of lakhs of people and ensure the sustainability of the textile value chain," he said.
“Hence, I request your intervention to remove the import duty on cotton from the existing 11 per cent to 0 per cent to ensure the availability of raw material. This measure will enable the textile and apparel industry to remain globally competitive, enhance exports, and protect jobs,” he added.
