‘K’taka has mismanaged its rivers’

Valpoi: Former member of the government panel of experts on the diversion of the Mhadei and scientist Nandkumar Kamat on Sunday said that protecting the river is the need of the hour as not only Goa’s ecology and water needs are dependent on its water, but also the state’s culture.
Kamat, who was addressing a public meeting on ‘Together for Mhadei’ organised by RG at Pissurlem, said Goa’s festivals are also linked to the river.
The Mhadei river basin covers 42% of the state’s geographical area and it is the lifeline of the state so Goans have to come together and save it, he said, adding that the government doesn’t take scientists’ advise to save the Mhadei.
Kamat said that when he see the Mhadei he doesn’t see water, he sees Goa’s future. “We get rain because of the river, not the river because of the rain; this is simple science,” said Kamat, a member of the panel that prepared a masterplan for the use of the Mhadei, Zuari, Talpona, and Galjibaga rivers until 2051 AD.
Karnataka has several rivers and there is no need for it to divert the Mhadei. They have mismanaged their rivers over the decades and now they want to deprive Goa of the Mhadei, he said.
“We have to protect and fight for the Mhadei just like our ancestors fought for Goa’s Liberation,” RG’s St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar said.
Party chief Manoj Parab said that Union home minister Amit Shah has given the state’s BJP ministers just 15 minutes to discuss the Mhadei. “It is very said that this important issue gets only 15 minutes.”
Parab said that many scientists have written to the government and advised it on ways to save the Mhadei, but the government has not taken them seriously.