Goa CM slams Oppn over Mahadayi row protests at IFFI

Accusing the opposition parties of playing politics over the Centre's consent to Karnataka for a project on the river Mahadayi, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has questioned their need to hold protests over the issue during the IFFI's inaugural event on Wednesday.

Three protests, including one inside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) venue near Panaji where Union Minister Prakash Javadekar was present, were staged on Wednesday.

The protests were separately held by NGOs, Congress workers and the Goa Forward Party (GFP). They demanded that the Centre withdraw the Environment Clearance (EC) exemption given to Karnataka for the Kalasa Banduri project on Mahadayi, considered as Goa's lifeline.

Javadekar, who holds Information & Broadcasting and environment portfolios, was the target of these demonstrations.

"There was no need for any kind of protest. Javadekar had met all the aggrieved factions, who had apprehensions about his role on the issue. Despite that they held protests," Sawant told reporters late Wednesday night outside the IFFI venue.

"I can clearly see that the opposition parties want to play politics over such a crucial subject," he added.

Sawant said he was positive that a time-bound solution would be worked out for the current crisis on the Mahadayi water diversion issue.

He said Goa's stand remains "unchanged" as the state continues to press for the withdrawal of the EC letter.

He also questioned why the Congress was silent when the construction of a dam was undertaken by Karnataka during 2007-2012 when the party was ruling the state.