JOIN USMahadayi: Goa CM seeks Centre's intervention at NITI Aayog meet
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant raised the issue of the Mahadayi inter-state water dispute at the governing council of the NITI Aayog on Saturday, requesting the Central government's intervention to resolve the deadlock and ensure justice to Goa.
Amid a series of sustained protests related to three central government projects related to road, rail expansion and drawing of a power transmission, Sawant also told the governing council of the NITI Aayog, that his government fully backed the controversial projects.
"The Mahadayi issue is in the Supreme Court again. We need intervention. We use Mahadayi water for drinking purposes. The river's salinity testing is being conducted by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry currently," Sawant told the meeting.
"Mahadayi water is being diverted and if the water level in the river reduces, then the salinity may increase, which may again cause problems. This is a sensitive issue in the state," Sawant said.
The Opposition in Goa has already demanded Sawant's resignation, accusing him of compromising Goa's interests in the river water dispute with Karnataka.
Goa has already filed two petitions in the Supreme Court in connection with the water dispute. In a special leave petition, the Goa government has challenged the award of the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, and in a contempt petition the state government has accused Karnataka of illegally diverting water from the Mahadayi river.
Sawant also backed the three controversial central government projects, in the face of vociferous protests, by the civil society groups, the Opposition and some ruling BJP MLAs.
"...we will provide all support to take ahead the central projects," Sawant said.
The chief minister, however, requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide an option of vertical mobility for Central government projects, especially when it came to small states, which do not have spare landmass.
"Central projects need huge land. We are requesting vertical mobility for such projects. This will bring relief for small states, which cannot spare a lot of land for Central government projects," Sawant said.