Members of some Goa-based NGOs have drawn up plans to start a series of protests against the Union government decision to give clearance to Karnataka’s detailed project report for the Mahadayi river basin projects. These protest meetings and prayer gatherings will be held across villages along the riverbank.
“Save Mhadei (Mahadayi), Save Goa” campaign members launched the first street corner meeting in Choraundem village near the Goa-Karnataka border on Tuesday.
Such meetings will be held in every village along the riverbank. Efforts will be made to hold such meetings in other villages in all the 12 taluks of Goa, Prajal Sakhardande, convenor of the campaign, said.
“The campaign has urged all Goans to light candles and lamps on February 12 and join an all-faith prayer meeting on February 16 at Azad Maidan in Panaji. A Mahadayi Aarti will be organised near the Pato Bridge in Panaji on February 16. Heads of various religious institutions such as temples, mosques, churches and gurdwaras have been invited to participate in the meeting,” Mr. Sakhardande said.
Advocate Hrudaynath Shirodkar said that there are several errors and mistakes in the approvals granted by the Central government to the detailed project report. He also said that the Karnataka government has wrongly claimed that the project is a drinking water project, while it is, in fact, an irrigation project. He said that the movement will be voluntary and non-violent, as the organisers did not want to cause any inconvenience to people.
Anthony D’Silva announced that the campaign is a front for several associations with the single aim of protecting the Mahadayi. A team of campaign members, including Mr. Sakhardande, Mr. Shirodkar, Mariano Feraro and Salman Khan, and others will be touring all taluks to create awareness,” Mr. D’Silva said.
