Even Amit Shah drinks water worth Rs 850 per bottle: Goa minister's conservation call

Naik has lobbied for export of rainwater accumulated in Goa to the Gulf countries in exchange for fuel

Once again pitching for rainwater harvesting in Goa, state agriculture minister Ravi Naik on Tuesday cited the example of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whose preferred water bottle cost Rs 850 during his trip to Goa.

“When Amit Shah was in Goa, he asked for a Himalaya water bottle. It was then brought from Mapusa (around 15 km away from Panaji). It cost Rs 850,” Naik claimed at a government function in South Goa district. “Even the rate of mineral water bottles in star hotels comes in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 160. This is how expensive water has become," he added.

Naik, who on two occasions in the past has lobbied for export of rainwater accumulated in Goa to the Gulf countries in exchange for fuel, said that water needed to be preserved, claiming that soon, water-based products would be as valuable as gold and diamonds.

Naik, who also holds the agriculture portfolio, was speaking during the inauguration of an Agriculture Department building in the Ponda subdistrict.

“Government can build dams across the state, wherever there are mountains and store water,” he further said. Goa receives an annual rainfall of around 120 inches every year. “People may fight with each other for water, this may be a situation in the future,” he said.

Last month, Naik had said that water needs to be privatised and private companies should be engaged to build dams across the country and the harvested water should be exported to the Gulf countries in exchange for fuel.