Rane seeks Goa BJP's help to resolve water dispute with Karnataka

Panaji, Jan 25 (UNI) Goa Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane today urged the Opposition BJP to impress upon its government in Karnataka on the need to stop diversion of Mahdai waters from the inter-state basin.

Mr Rane, however, regretted that the BJP Opposition in Goa had not joined the all-party delegation to the Centre to plead against the ''injustice being done to Goa by Karnataka''.

Intervening in a reply on the issue by Water Resources Minister Fillip Neri Rodrigues during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, Mr Rane told the Legislative Assembly that the State was doing its best to plead its case.

Mr Rodrigues, earlier, said Karnataka could not ''usurp'' the waters from the interstate river basin.'' It was totally against the Constitution and Goa would do its best to protect its interests.'' He sought cooperation of all members and others to fight for Goa's cause unitedly.

In reply to a starred question earlier, the Minister told the House that Goa had renewed its plea with the Union Ministry of Water Resources to appoint a Mandovi interstate river water dispute tribunal at the earliest.

As Karnataka had intended to start construction work on Kalsa project on October 2 last, the Goa government had filed a suit in the Supreme Court seeking a directive to the Centre to constitute the tribunal. The Goa government had also urged the Centre and the Planning Commission not to clear financial assistance to Karnataka for the disputed projects.

UNI