Two Goa Cabinet ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government on the occasion of Republic Day urged the people of the state to support Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in order to save the Mahadayi river, after the row over sharing of waters of the inter-state river picked up steam ahead of the Karnataka state Assembly polls.
In his speech on the occasion of Republic Day celebrations at the Dharbandora sub district in south Goa, Sports Minister Govind Gaude said that under the Constitution of India, no state had the authority to divert a river or "destroy natural resources" and urged the people of Goa to come together and revolt if need be in order to save the Mahadayi river, which flows into Goa from Karnataka.
"The Mahadayi river is the mother of all Goans and we should come together to fight to protect it. The Constitution has given the right to fight and if someone is not abiding the Constitution there is need to revolt," Gaude said.
"Goa is a touristic state and internationally famous for its natural beauty. Mahadayi water is important for us and to protect our natural beauty we need to come together," Gaude said.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte also made a pitch for popular support for the chief minister in the ongoing dispute with Karnataka over Mahadayi river water.
"...Support the chief minister by keeping aside their political differences in the larger interest of the state," he said.
The row has gathered momentum after the Central Water Commission in December last year gave its nod to Karnataka's detailed project report (DPR) related to the Kalasa-Banduri project, which aims to divert water from the Mahadayi river basin in Karnataka to the water deficit basin of the Malaprabha river.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had led a delegation to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to reverse the nod given to the DPR, citing a major water and environment crisis in Goa if the water is diverted.