Goa to seek PM's intervention on K'taka sanctuaries issue

 The Goa Cabinet today decided to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in asking its neighbour Karnataka to declare one km area around its wildlife sanctuaries as eco-sensitive zones.

"The resolution was adopted in the wake of current imbroglio between Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka over the Mhadei river water dispute and the environmental damage caused near the wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka due to construction of dams," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said here.

The resolution adopted in the Cabinet read, "The Council of Ministers resolved that the state (Goa) administration has taken a very serious note of the ongoing inter-state river water disputes by and in between the states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

"The Cabinet members resolved that the state of Karnataka has affected eco-sensitive areas of Western Ghat due to the ongoing work (on canal to block Mhadei river)."

"It is noted that State of Goa has taken steps to declare one km eco-sensitive zone around Wildlife Sanctuaries whereas no steps have been taken by ministry of Environment and Forests to declare eco-sensitive areas in Karnataka thereby permitting such heavy environmental damage and similarly damaging wildlife sanctuaries and western ghats," it read.

Parsekar said the Council of Ministers resolved to request Modi, Union Minister for Water Resources, besides Union MoS for Environment and Forests to take steps to stop such degradation of wildlife sanctuaries and also to restore the area and undo the harm done by the works of Karnataka.

In another resolution on the same issue, the Cabinet resolved to request the Centre to extend the time of the Mahadei Water Disputes Tribunal for two years as it is seized with the matter and hearings are on a day to day basis. The term of the Tribunal is set to expire in August.