Goa team to keep an eye on works in Belagavi

BELAGAVI: In what could be termed as an ‘aggressive’ step, Goa government has formed a team of four engineers to keep a check on civil constructions at Kalasa-Banduri project site in Belagavi. It has also filed a brief summary of arguments before the Mahadayi Water Tribunal in New Delhi accusing Karnataka of violating the provisions.

Since last week, the project site at Kanakumbi village in Belagavi district has become a rallying point for ministers, officials and press. Despite Karnataka Water resources Minister M B Patil  visiting  Kanakumbi and clarifying that no civil construction was going on, the move by Goa to form a team of engineers has irked the activists in these parts of state.

Sources said the Goa team will visit Kanakumbi every week and will submit a report to the Goa government. The team consists of a superintending engineer, an executive engineer and two assistant executive engineers.

“On Tuesday, Goa challenged the proposed 12 projects by Karnataka in the Western Ghats, on the inter-state River Mahadayi. At the same time, Goa will keep a watch over the  project site so that Karnataka does not take up any construction works against the court orders,” said sources.

Goa’s move has irked the activists here. They are demanding a fitting reply from the Karnataka government. “We must demand for a visit of a Court Commission to the disputed site so that Goa does not paint a wrong picture of Karnataka. The move by Goa shows that it is preparing its ground for the February hearing. The state government must lodge a complaint with the tribunal about unnecessary interventions by politicians and officials from Goa,” said Ashok Chandargi, a senior Kannada activist from Belagavi.

Last week, a team of officials from Goa visited the project site at Kanakumbi which triggered a war of words between the two states and souring relations.

Congress politicising Mahadayi issue: BSY

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday accused the state government of politicising Mahadayi river water sharing issue even after Goa Chief Minister had expressed his willingness to discuss releasing 7.56 tmcft to provide drinking water to people in the region. “Why are you blaming us for your mistakes? Even after we had convinced the Goa Chief Minister to release water to provide drinking water to people, you asked for release of 14 tmc feet water. You also put a condition that all issues have to be resolved in one meeting. All this is being done in the interest of people of the state or for political gains?” he asked. Yeddyurappa also asked Water Resources Minister M B Patil to explain his stand and reason for creating confusion.