As many as 21 non-government organisations under the umbrella of “Ami Goenkar” (We Goans) have come together to oppose any move by the Goa government to initiate talks with Karnataka over sharing the Mahadayi waters.
They also demanded that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar withdraw his letter sent to Karnataka BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa.
After their nearly two-hour meeting in the city on Monday evening, where Mr. Parrikar was criticised for his letter, convener of Ami Goenkar Shashikant Joshi told The Hindu, “ A joint meeting of 21 NGOs has chalked out a future course of action and a resolution has been unanimously passed demanding that Chief Minister Parrikar withdraw his letter to Mr. Yeddyurappa, sent on December 2, 2017.”
The resolution also demanded that all political parties, and all 40 MLAs of the Goa Legislative Assembly, must declare their position on the issue at the earliest.
It said that the Goa government must wait for the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal judgment, and any application demanding water by the Karnataka government before the tribunal should be opposed by the Goa government now, considering that the matter is at the stage of judgment.
A resolution must be unanimously passed by the Goa Assembly stating that no water should be allowed to be diverted from the Mahadayi whatsoever, till the tribunal verdict comes, it said.
When asked for his response to Mr. Parrikar’s argument that his letter spoke about only the willingness for a discussion on humanitarian grounds, Mr. Joshi said the demand that has been raised is 7.6 tmcft of water, when the demand has not been quantified at any stage.
“This is an extravagant demand, and the records of water utilisation show that they have always misutilised Mahadayi waters by allowing sugarcane cultivation,” he said.
“There are records to show that the water sought was for irrigation, and canals that were being dug without permission were for irrigation purpose. Canals being dug were not for drinking water supply but to divert water from the deficient Mahadayi basin to the Malaprabha basin,” he added.
Mr. Joshi said unless the amount of water was quantified, the Goa government has no business to issue a letter or indulge in talks at this stage. When the matter in the tribunal is in its final stages, let the tribunal only decide, he said.
“We are of the firm view that if at this stage if any letters are issued and any talks initiated or negotiations done, it would weaken our case before the tribunal,” said Mr. Joshi.
He said that the joint forum of the NGOs has come to a conclusion that the way the letter was given is a “very suspicious thing and it is feared that interests of Goa would be compromised”.
“You are responding to a letter from the leader of an Opposition party in Karnataka on your letterhead, that too without any resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly, without any Cabinet decision, without taking people into confidence and worse, contrary to the stand you have taken before the tribunal,” Mr. Joshi said.
He said an awareness drive by holding public meetings in different parts of the State will be held under the umbrella of ‘Ami Goenkar’, starting with a first meeting in Valpoi taluk of North Goa, which would be the worst-affected area if Mahadayi water is a allowed to be diverted.
The youths, who protested against the letter at Mapusa in North Goa under the banner of Mahadayi Amchio Avoy on Monday, joined ‘Ami Goenkar’ front, leader of MAA Suraj Naik said on Monday evening after the meeting.
