Mhadei row: Goa Congress writes to PM Modi over environmental clearance to Kalasa-Banduri project

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the environment clearance granted to the Kalsa-Bhandura project by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF).

"We would like to draw your kind attention to the shocking fact that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has issued clearance for the Kalsa-Bhandura diversion project when the dispute is pending before the Supreme Court and the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal and without consulting Goa," GPCC said in the letter.

The Goa Congress alleged that the decision was taken in a bid to win the Karnataka by-polls.

"The entire world is aware and concerned about the impact of "Global Warming"; it is well known that our tiny Goa is in an ecologically vulnerable state and is threatened by dangerous impacts of climate change; regularly facing drinking water scarcity," it said.

GPCC said that the people of Goa will never support any diversion of water from the Mhadei river, which is the lifeline of the state.

"Your government must know that the ecological status of Goa sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian sea is very fragile and very special and a large state like Karnataka must not be permitted to change the existing conditions maintaining the ecological balance of more than 150 million years," it said.

"It is shocking to know that MoEF has granted environment clearance for an ecologically destructive project by the Government of Karnataka costing Rs 841 crores without consulting the state of Goa. The decision will completely destroy the ecology of Goa," it added.

Leaders of the Goa Congress also held a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, against the decision on Sunday. Senior leaders including Digambar Kamat and Francisco Sardinha were present at the protest.