Rupesh Samant

Porvorim, Jan 7: Hours before commencing of one-day-long Goa Legislative Assembly session, On Tuesday, the opposition parties moved an adjournment motion on Mahadayi river water diversion.

On Tuesday at 9 am, the notice was jointly given by the opposition parties which was signed by MLAs from Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Congress and Independent legislator Rohan Khaunte.

The one-day session will begin at 11.30 am on Tuesday with Governor Satya Pal Malik addressing the members.

The session has been summoned to ratify a Constitutional Amendment Bill that extends reservations to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for another ten years.

The notice was moved of motion for adjournment on the matter of urgent public importance for today, January 7 under Rule 68 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of The Goa Legislative Assembly.

The opposition combined has three MLAs of Goa Forward Party, one each from MGP and Independent and five from Congress totalling to nine in 40 seat House.

The notice mentions that the House should be adjourned to discuss the approval/NC given to Karnataka by Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry for taking up 'so-called' drinking water project on River Mahadayi.

The opposition benches have also said in the notice that there is “likelihood of misuse of approval/NOC for setting up irrigation project by Karnataka.”

The notice also wants the House to discuss “diversion of west-flowing River Mahadayi into east-flowing River Malaprabha.”

The motion also mentions that there is an increase in salinity of Rivers in Goa due to which there will be adverse effects on ecology, agriculture, khazan lands and drinking water in the State of Goa.