Goa oppn has not even visited Mahadayi diversion site: Lobo

Goa Port Minister Michael Lobo on Tuesday said the state's opposition was creating a hue and cry over the diversion of Mahadayi river water by Karnataka but had never gone to the site to check "ground reality".

Goa and Karnataka are embroiled in a dispute over the sharing of Mahadayi river water and the issue came to the fore again after the Centre in December told the neighbouring state that environment clearance was not required for its Kalasa Banduri drinking water project on the river.

Earlier in the day, opposition parties had submitted an adjournment notice on the Mahadayi water diversion issue to Speaker Rajesh Patnekar before the commencement of the one-day session of the Goa Assembly.

Patnekar disallowed the motion claiming the session was being held for a special purpose (to ratify constitutional amendment bill that extends reservations to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies by another 10 years).

"So-called leaders of Goa are raising the Mahadayi issue without even visiting the site, where Karnakata has diverted the river's water, to understand ground reality," Lobo said.

He said these leaders had skipped a visit to the site in 2018 when Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was the Assembly speaker.

Lobo said the Mahadayi dispute was being heard by the Supreme Court and justice would be done to Goa.

On the opposition's adjournment motion, Lobo said everyone, cutting across party lines, was united in Goa on the Mahadayi issue.

"But we have to wait for Supreme Court's decision," he said.

Lobo further said it was the Congress which had failed the state on the Mahadayi dispute because the diversion by Karnataka happened when it was in power.

"Karnataka has spent Rs 1,000 crore (in diversion). It took five years, it did not happen overnight," he claimed.