Madai-Kalsa-Bhandura Project seriously affects Goa: Rodrigues

Panaji, Jan 15 (UNI) Karnataka undertaking the Madai-Kalsa-Bhandura Project will seriously affect the drinking water, environmental, ecological and irrigation needs in the lowest riparian state of Goa, Water Resources Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues told the Goa Legislative Assembly today.

Replying to a starred question on the issue raised by the BJP Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar, the Minister said the ''illegal upstream project'' seriously affects the ''right to life'' of the inhabitants of Goa under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

As such, the Government apart from bringing it to the notice of the Centre, had filed a Civil suit in the year 2006, in the Supreme Court praying for directing the Centre to constitute a Mandovi River Water Dispute Tribunal as provided under Section 4 of the Interstate River Water Dispute Act, 1956.

The petition had also sought the Apex court for directing the Centre, its agencies, besides the Planning Commission of India and the financing agencies not to give any clearances or financial assistance to the disputed projects of Karnataka, pending adjudication and final decision on all the interstate disputes with regard to the Mandovi River Basin.

The Goa Government had also prayed the court for directing the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Water Resources to ''withdraw the principle clearance'' given to Karnataka for the project, leaving the issue on the decision of the proposed Water Dispute Tribunal.

The Government had also sought a directive to the Karnataka Government not to proceed with any planning, construction and water regulation of any project on the Mandovi River Basin until all the interstate disputes are adjudicated and finally decided by the Water Disputes Tribunal constituted by the Centre.

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