Centre quashes Goa’s appeal to stay Kalasa-Banduri project

BELAGAVI: The Union Jal Shakti ministry turned down the Goa govt’s appeal to deny all permission from Central agencies for starting the Kalasa-Banduri project, until petitions filed in the Supreme Court with regard to the project are cleared.

Condemning the way the Centre snubbed the Goa government, Opposition leaders in Goa have urged CM Pramod Sawant to lodge a protest to prevent the diversion of Mahadayi river water. Criticising Sawant for not doing enough to prevent Karnataka from going ahead with the Kalasa-Banduri project, Goa Forward Party leader Vinod Palekar, said measures were taken earlier to prevent Karnataka from going ahead with work when Manohar Parrikar was Chief Minister.

Sawant has not taken measures to protect the interests of Goa, he alleged. Sources said the Centre wrote to the Goa CM on Thursday stating that Goa’s request to halt permission to the Karnataka government was not tenable.