from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Sep 24: In the backdrop of the Karnataka government's move to lay the foundation stone for the disputed Mhadei river diversion project, the Goa government has said it would soon call a meeting of all political parties to discuss the issue.

"So many things are appearing in the media. There are reports that the Karnataka government is laying the foundation stone for Kalsa Bandurnalla dam. In these circumstances I feel we should take all political parties into confidence and clear Goa's stand," Water Resources Minister Philip Nery Rodrigues told PTI.

Goa has been opposing Karnataka's plans to construct a dam in the Mhadei basin to divert water to the Malaprabha basin.

"Goa has already made it clear that it will object to the diversion. But still I feel the government should call an all- party meeting and discuss the issue sitting across the table. It will be basically aiming at taking everyone into confidence," Rodrigues said.

He said the meeting would be convened soon after taking chief minister Pratapsingh Rane's views on it.