BJP team to meet Goa CM on Monday over Mahadayi

A delegation from the state BJP will meet Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parikkar on Monday in a bid to seek an out-of-the court settlement for the Mahadayi river water dispute.

“We will meet the chief minister of Goa under the leadership of (BJP state president) B S Yeddyurappa but we are keeping the venue of the meeting under wraps as we apprehend that some vested interests may create problems,” senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar, who will be a part of the delegation, told DH.

Besides state leaders, Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, who was recently appointed by the party central leadership as election in-charge of Karnataka, will also be part of the delegation.

Karnataka plans to divert 7.56 tmc ft of water from its Mahadayi basin contribution to the Malaprabha dam to meet the drinking water needs of the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the surrounding towns and villages.

The plan is to channelise the diverted water through canals Kalasa and Banduri so that water could be supplied to the twin cities besides Nargund, Navalgund, Badami, Ron, Gadag and 100 villages. Goa and Maharashtra have been objecting to the project citing environmental reasons.

The Congress and the BJP have been indulging in blame game on who should take the initiative to resolve the decades-old dispute. With Assembly elections round the corner, it has now become an election issue. In September 2016, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal had suggested an out-of-court settlement with or without third-party mediation.

Asked whether the BJP delegation will also meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shettar said, “The main dispute is with Goa. Once the state relents, Maharashtra will follow suit.”

The BJP is of the opinion that the Congress should convince their party leaders in Goa and Maharashtra to sit across the table and resolve the dispute.