Revoke environment clearance given to Karnataka for Kalsa-Bhandura project immediately: GPCC urges PM Modi

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Tuesday demanded that the environmental clearance given to Karnataka for Kalsa-Bhandura Project should immediately be revoked.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, submitted through Governor of Goa, the GPCC president Girish Chodankar and Digambar Kamat expressed shock over the Ministry of Environment, Forest (MOEF) issuing clearance for Kalsa-Bhandura project of Karnataka for diversion of water from Mhadei river when the dispute is pending before the Supreme Court and the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal and claimed that the decision will completely destroy the ecology of Goa.

Stressing that the people of Goa will never support any diversion of water from Mhadei, which is the lifeline of the state, the two leaders said: "We demand that the environmental clearance granted to Karnataka for Kalsa-Bhandura project is revoked immediately."

"The Congress party is committed to protecting Mhadei and will continue to lead the people's movement to create awareness about the attempt of the BJP to take away our lifeline from us," they said.