Panaji: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah asked his Goa counterpart, Manohar Parrikar, to fix a convenient date, time and place to begin negotiations for drinking water from the Mhadei. He was reacting to Parrikar's letter to Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa, regarding water-sharing talks. Siddaramaiah also sought to end the deliberations before the final hearing that is scheduled to commence in February.
"My chief secretary, K Ratna Prabha, will get in touch with your chief secretary and the chief secretary of Maharashtra to work out the agenda and details of the meet," Siddaramaiah said in his letter to Parrikar on Friday.
Parrikar has denied receiving any letter previously from his Karnataka counterpart to discuss the sharing of the Mhadei river water between the two states, but acknowledged having written to Karnataka BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa regarding the issue.
Refering to his previous letter dated May 24, 2017 to Parrikar, the Karnataka chief minister said that he had mentioned that Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa should meet at Bangalore on any convenient date in June 2017. "A similar letter was also sent to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Letters were followed up by my chief secretary. However, unfortunate, there was no response from your side," he added.
"I once again request that, we the chief ministers of three states of Mhadei basin meet on any convenient date and time at the earliest and at a venue of your choice as to try and arrive at a negotiated settlement. I am also sending this proposal to Fadnavis for his concurrence," Siddaramaiah stated.
When asked about the Mhadei imbroglio, deputy speaker Michael Lobo on Saturday said the Western Ghats was a bio-diversity hotspots that needed to be protected. He also said Parrikar's announcement was just a political statement in the context of the Karnataka assembly elections.
