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Goa minister condemns Shah’s remarks on Mahadayi

Cabral said the party's cabinet ministers will now question Shah, when they visit the national capital
Last Updated 30 January 2023, 20:03 IST

In a rare show of defiance against the BJP's central leadership, Goa Public Works Department Minister Nilesh Cabral openly questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comments on Monday that the Centre, together with the state governments in Goa and Karnataka, had successfully resolved the Mahadayi river water dispute.

“Our CM has not given any consent to divert the Mahadayi river water. I know he will never do it. I don’t know what home minister is speaking about,” Cabral said.

Cabral said the party's cabinet ministers will now question Shah, when they visit the national capital at a later date to lobby for Goa's interests in the ongoing dispute.

"Today, I am here to tell you that the BJP at the Centre has resolved the long dispute between Goa and Karnataka over Mahadayi and allowed the diversion of Mahadayi to Karnataka to satisfy the thirst of farmers of many districts," Shah had said in Karnataka on Saturday.

When asked if he condemned Shah's comment, Cabral said, “Of course, I condemn the statement. We are not against usage of water within the basin, but we will never allow the water to be diverted outside," Cabral responded.

The inter-state water sharing row gathered momentum after the Central Water Commission in December last year gave its nod to Karnataka's detailed project report related to the Kalasa-Banduri project, which aims to divert water from the Mahadayi river basin in Karnataka to the water deficit basin of the Malaprabha river.

After the commission's nod, Sawant led a delegation to meet Shah and urged him to reverse the nod given to the DPR, citing a major water and environment crisis in Goa.

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(Published 30 January 2023, 20:03 IST)

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