Goans gather in solidarity for river Mhadei at a festival in Miramar

Thousands of Mhadei's 'children' formed a human chain along the banks of the river on Saturday (May 20), to raise awareness and express their solidarity in preserving the vital ecosystem of the river, which is critical to Goa’s environment and the livelihood and wellbeing of its people.

The human chain was the centrepiece of the Mhadei Amchi Mai festival, a community engagement event organised by the Earthivist Collective, in association with the Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG) and the Save Mhadei Save Goa Front in wake of the ongoing attempts to divert water from the inter-state river’s basin by a neighbouring state.

The human chain comprising thousands of concerned residents of Goa, also referred to by the festival organisers as ‘rakhondars’ (protectors), stretched from the banks of the Mandovi river - also referred to as the Mhadei.