Belagavi:
Goa Suraksha Manch was forced to change its plan of performing puja at
Kanakumbi and take out
Mahadayi Sampada Ratha Yatra, a bike rally, from the
origin of Mahadayi river due to tight security arranged by police and forest department in
Khanapur taluk on Wednesday.
Fearing law and order problem, heavy bandobast was in place at Kanakumbi and Chola areas to prevent the rally from entering
Karnataka without permission. Tense situation prevailed in these areas owing to the proposed bike rally. The rally was supposed to start at Kanakumbi and proceeding through
Chorla Ghat section of Karnataka. The organizers, headed by Anand Shirodkar, president of Goa Suraksha Manch, changed the route at the last moment following the police bandobast.
Instead, the rally started after puja to the Kalasa tributary behind Delta Hotel on the Karnataka-Goa border. The rally, which did not enter Karnataka, will continue in Goa till January 30, culminating at Panaji. A couple of days ago, office bearers of the Goa Suraksha Manch visited Kanakumbi after reports in the neighbouring state indicated that the Karnataka government has started work on the drinking water project there.
Shirodkar said that Mahadayi is the lifeline of
North Goa and if the river water is turned towards Karnataka, it would lead to loss of huge forestry and hit
fishing industry in his state.
