Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Nov 19: Following protest from Goa over a letter by the central government excluding a project in Mahadayi basin from Environment Clearance, Union Environment ministry wrote to state chief minister, Pramod Sawant stating that it will review its decision.

Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, Prakash Javadekar in a letter signed on November 18 has stated that a committee has been constituted to look into the issue raised by Goa.

An all-party delegation from Goa had met Javadekar on November 4 in New Delhi following which the minister had sought ten days to study the issue.

Goa was protesting against the centre’s letter to Karnataka which had exempted a project on Mahadayi basin from Environment Clearance claiming that it was being constructed for providing drinking water.

Javadekar in a letter said, "This is about your Memorandum dated November 4 regarding the Kalsa-Bhandura project of Karnataka.”

“It is informed through your memorandum that the proposal submitted to the ministry is more than a drinking water project and thus requires to be reviewed in detail by the ministry,” the letter reads.

“In this connection, a committee is being constituted to look into the issues raised in detail,” Javadekar said.

Reacting to the letter, Sawant said, “The minister has taken due cognizance of the representation submitted by All-Party delegation and as stated in the letter, has constituted a committee to examine the issue.

“I am confident that the committee will soon deliberate and safeguard Goa’s interest with a favourable decision,” he added.