Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Jan 1: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday admitted that Karnataka has diverted “A certain amount of river from Mahadayi” despite the issue pending before Supreme Court.

Sawant also said that the third letter was written by Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar had no legal sanctity as the apex court is already hearing the case.

“We have to admit that a certain amount of Mahadayi river water has been diverted (by Karnataka). We cannot deny that,” Sawant said in an interview on “Doordarshan”, which was telecasted on the eve of New Year.

He said that Goa has already challenged before the top court, the award given by Inter-State Water Dispute Tribunal which has allowed Karnataka to divert a certain amount of water.

“Union Minister Prakash Javadekar initially wrote a letter to Karnataka stating that Environment Clearance was not required for a project on Mahadayi,” he said recalling the communication written in October.

“Later, we managed to keep the letter in abeyance. But once again, he wrote the letter to Karnataka,” the chief minister said referring to the letter on December 24.

“The third letter has no legal sanctity as the dispute between the states on Mahadayi is already being heard by the Supreme Court,” he said adding that his government will never compromise on the issue of Mahadayi river.

When asked about the resumption of iron ore mining activity in the State, Sawant said that certain activity in the mining belt can resume soon after State gets approval for the policy to handle the dumps (piles of low-grade ore).

“From the time I have taken over as CM, I have been following up the issue on day to day basis. Whatever we could do, we have done,” he said.

To get the political support for the cause, we have also petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue, he said.

Sawant said that the State has already filed a review petition before the Supreme Court which will come up for hearing before January 08, 2020.

“We want to find out a solution to the issue. If something is not possible in supreme court then as per the MMDR Act, 2015 we can form the mining corporation in the interest of Goan people,” he said.

Sawant ruled out the possibility of auctioning the mining leases claiming that “considering the existing land-related issues, the auctioning would result in a delay in the resumption of mining activity.a