PROVORIM: If permission to Karnataka’s detailed project report (DPR) for the Mhadei water diversion is not withdrawn by the Centre, then chief minister Pramod Sawant should never use the term ‘doubleengine sarkar’ again, Fatorda GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai said in the House on Thursday. This will be a failure of the double-engine government, and it will prove that having a BJP government at the Centre and in the state has no meaning, he said. Sardesai moved an amendment to the house resolution on the Mhadei and demanded that a resolution be passed by the House stating that within the next six months the Goa government will take up work on all 59 projects to tap the Mhadei’s water, as recommended by the 1999 masterplan. This will make the state’s case against Karnataka stronger, he said. “During the last assembly session, the CM said that the coal handling capacity at Mormugao port will not be increased at any cost. But, yesterday, approval was received to increase coal handling,” said Sardesai, adding the same may happen in the case of the Mhadei diversion issue, despite chief minister Pramod Sawant’s assurances. He said that it is not the opposition that is playing politics over the Mhadei issue. That the approval to Karnataka’s diversion project came ahead of elections there shows that BJP at the Centre is using it as a political issue, he said. “Our advocate general says that no water has been diverted from the main Mhadei, but water from the Kalasa and the Bhandura nullahs have been diverted. This is like saying that one hand and one leg of a patient have been amputated, but he is doing fine.” He said that while the government did not even find the issue worth mentioning in the governor’s address, it was good to see the issue now being discussed as critical by BJP MLAs. “The ruling MLAs are saying the BJP government will give justice on the Mhadei issue, and we are supposed to silently accept it and go along with it. You cannot expect us to be cheerleaders,” said Sardesai. Sardesai said that an amendment brought by Union minister Prakash Jawadekar allows states like Karnataka to go ahead with drinking water projects without any forest clearances, which will make it simpler for Karnataka to bulldoze its water diversion works.
Porvorim: Amidst a serious debate on Karnataka’s plans to divert water from the Mhadei river basin, agriculture minister Ravi Naik once again reiterated his plan to build several dams across Goa to store rainwater for consumption and export. Naik said that Goa can use the dam water to earn foreign exchange through export of water. “The central government should give us Rs 20,000 crore and we can build as many dams that we want, and we can store as much water as we want,” said Naik. Naik was speaking on a government resolution to demand that the Centre withdraw the approvals granted to Karnataka’s detailed project report for water diversion from the Mhadei. Naik said that Goa gets a significant amount of rain, which is not efficiently utilised. He said that Goa can even explore the possibility of exporting water to countries in exchange for fuel. “The approvals for DPR should be withdrawn by the Centre. There can be wars over water in the future and for this we need to be alert,” said Naik.
On the Goa-Karnataka border, at the foothills of the Western Ghats, a tiny village is in the eye of a storm. It is in this village of Kankumbi, where Karnataka has started its work of diverting water from the Mhadei.Four short concrete pillars in the Kankumbi forest range, across the Kalasa, stand testimony to Karnataka’s intention to divert water from Goa’s lifeline into the Malaprabha basin.Further north of the Kalasa, there are large canals carrying water into the Malaprabha basin. This work began without any forest clearances. But even as Karnataka has embarked on the Mhadei diversion project—officially and unofficially—the tiny state of Goa continues to keep going back to the drawing board, deliberating and discussing ways and most often than not failing to come up with solutions to utilise the Mhadei water.Over three decades after a masterplan was drawn in 1999 to utilise the Mhadei’s water by envisaging 61 projects across the river, Goa has only the Anjunem and the Amthane reservoirs to show.Goa had even submitted before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal that it intends to meet the demand for its ‘major uses’ through these projects and 61 dams are required to meet Goa’s water requirement up to 2051. But except for the two reservoirs, the rest 59 projects continue to remain on paper, with the state initiating the process for 10 minor dams just two years ago. Karnataka has long argued that the Mhadei’s waters flow into the sea and therefore, it should be allowed to divert only to meet its “drinking water requirements” in Hubballi and Dharwad.Manoj Borkar, who has been researching Goa’s faunal taxa for three decades, said that Karnataka’s argument that Goa is allowing its water to flow into the sea is foolish at best.“That is the natural cycle of the river. If the flow is stopped it would not be a river. The Mhadei is a river upstream, which as it meanders down turns into an estuary before it meets the sea. The delicate balance in salinity in its coastal plains is maintained by a cycle of precipitation and evaporation, which will be destroyed if the water flow is stopped at Kankumbi,” he said.But it is only in 2020, more than two decades later, that the Goa water resources department initiated the process to set up 10 minor dams in the Mandovi basin and soil investigation was carried out with assistance from the forest department.Of the 10 minor reservoirs for which survey and investigation work was taken up, work on two located at Dharbandora in Kajumol and in Tatodi was expected to be taken up first. But with the matter now pending before the Supreme Court, Goa will require several clearances before the work can begin.“The projects still need to go through many stages, environment impact assessment and get forest and wildlife clearances. The projects also need approval of the central water commission of the Union ministry of water resources — irrespective of the fact that they are minor projects — since they are in a contested basin,” said a senior government official.A report by a private entity, on behalf of the Goa Energy Development Agency and the water resources department, has clearly stated that there is a potential for hydro power projects at nine locations across the state, including on the Mhadei’s waters at Harvalem waterfall, Anjunem dam and Amthane minor irrigation tank.Initial reviews of site conditions indicate that 100kW, 70kW and 20kW micro hydro machines can be installed at site locations.“Hydroelectricity projects were first conceptualised on the Mhadei in the 1960s and even the foundation stone was laid. Though it was found unfeasible at the time, new technology now makes it feasible. The draft State Water Policy, 2021, had also suggested that the process of setting up hydro power plants in Goa’s river basins needs to be expedited,” said an expert.A study by SR Shetye (former director of National Institute of Oceanography), D Shankar, Neetu S and K Suprit shows that the run-off from the Mandovi is much higher than the present dam storage capacity created by the Goa government to date.“The only functional dam on the Mandovi is the Anjunem Dam. The storage capacity of the dam is 45Mcum, less than 1% of the runoff estimated in Panaji. On the Zuari, there exists a much bigger dam, the Selaulim dam. With a storage capacity of about 227Mcum (about 10% of the Zuari’s virgin flow at its mouth near Cortalim),” said the study. Experts like Sachin Tendulkar, a 2007 Fulbright scholar who has studied hydrological problems in Australia, reckon that Goa must get serious about managing its water resources better and should start by drawing catchment management plans.“Water basins are unique. We need to arrive at this golden mean as to what extent we can stretch our catchment areas. The Mhadei issue is a wake-up call,” he said.
As part of its “second guarantee” ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress unveiled the ‘Gruha Lakshmi Scheme’ Monday, promising Rs 2,000 per month to each woman head of a family. As the Congress hails it as a game changer to get women into the party fold, MLA and former chief of the Karnataka Congress’s women’s wing, Laxmi Hebbalkar, explains the party’s reasoning and why it expects the scheme to work:What is the Congress’s objective behind the promise of Rs 2,000 per woman head of a household?HEBBALKAR: This assurance is part of our election manifesto. Our promise is in response to growing inflation, which is driving an increase in prices of all essential goods. With this scheme, we want to especially strengthen rural women. At a time when prices of gas cylinders, oil and other goods are rising, we want to provide women some relief. If we give them a subsidy for LPG, they will get only that. Giving them money is better as some large families require two gas cylinders per month and some can make do with just one.Just giving subsidies is a sort of injustice to large families. But with the money, they can decide whether they want to buy gas or other essential items. This is the intention… Every woman head of a family, irrespective of its economic situation, is eligible. For instance, if my mother wants Rs 2,000, she can claim it. We have also promised 200 units of free electricity for everyone.Are you expecting electoral dividends, with more women voting for the Congress?HEBBALKAR: This is election time. If I deny and say that this was not done with elections in mind, it would not be fair. Of course, we have announced this popular programme aimed at women keeping the coming Assembly elections in mind. This is like Anna Bhagya (a scheme offering grains at a very low price to all families, launched by then Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah in 2013).Yes, this money can be used for women’s benefit. She can purchase her medicines or whatever she requires with the amount.Do you think such measures can help overcome caste-based politics and force parties to keep gender issues in mind?HEBBALKAR: I can only say that this will help the party. We will gain the confidence of women, we will get the support of her family. We think that one woman is not a single vote, but is equivalent to five votes. She can influence her husband, son, in-laws.You talk of empowering women, is the Congress also thinking in terms of increasing their representation in the Legislature?HEBBALKAR: For many years, the party has strived for upliftment of women. Even today (January 16), Siddaramaiah spoke about the women’s reservation Bill (at a rally attended by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi). During UPA-II, (Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi tabled the Bill to ensure reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. This was not passed due to opposition by some parties. But now, we are seriously considering providing more and more opportunities to women.However, we all know that winning is a criteria (in elections). And me, Roopakala M (Kolar Gold Fields MLA), Anjali Nimbalkar (Khanapur) and Sowmya Reddy (Jayanagar) won from four constituencies where the Congress had rarely won. We have proved that women can win in constituencies where the party had lost hope. We are giving our own example to the party high command and trying to convince them to give tickets to women in such constituencies. We have assured the party that we will fight and come back with a victory. This time we hope that due to the influence of Priyanka Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, more tickets will be given to women.You represent a constituency in the Kittur Karnataka region (formerly Mumbai Karnataka). The Congress faced challenges here in the 2018 elections and performed below par. What are your plans for this election?HEBBALKAR: Whichever party, be it the Congress or BJP, wins more seats in the Kittur Karnataka region, forms the government. This time, unlike 2018, the scenario is very different (for the Congress). People of this region are fed up with price rise, corruption and other issues. They see Siddaramaiah, other Congress leaders and the party as capable of offering better governance, as was the case in the 2013 Congress government.Also, there is no internal strife among Congress leaders in the region. Compared to 2018, there are no more internal fights. This will benefit us.Since you represent the Panchamasali community, how will their reservation demand have a bearing on the coming elections?HEBBALKAR: I have to be very direct about this. The current government has to announce 2A reservation for Panchamasalis. Not only that, they have to reveal the procedure by which they will implement it. Only then can the BJP hope to make any gains from it.(The Panchamasali Lingayats have been agitating for nearly two years for 15% quota under OBC 2A category. Partly to meet this demand, the state government recently announced 2D category for the Lingayat community, along with 2C for Vokkaligas, with the promise of 6% of the 10% EWS quota. The Panchamasalis have rejected the same.)
As part of its “second guarantee” ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress unveiled the ‘Gruha Lakshmi Scheme’ Monday, promising Rs 2,000 per month to each woman head of a family. As the Congress hails it as a game changer to get women into the party fold, MLA and former chief of the Karnataka Congress’s women’s wing, Laxmi Hebbalkar, explains the party’s reasoning and why it expects the scheme to work:What is the Congress’s objective behind the promise of Rs 2,000 per woman head of a household?HEBBALKAR: This assurance is part of our election manifesto. Our promise is in response to growing inflation, which is driving an increase in prices of all essential goods. With this scheme, we want to especially strengthen rural women. At a time when prices of gas cylinders, oil and other goods are rising, we want to provide women some relief. If we give them a subsidy for LPG, they will get only that. Giving them money is better as some large families require two gas cylinders per month and some can make do with just one.Just giving subsidies is a sort of injustice to large families. But with the money, they can decide whether they want to buy gas or other essential items. This is the intention… Every woman head of a family, irrespective of its economic situation, is eligible. For instance, if my mother wants Rs 2,000, she can claim it. We have also promised 200 units of free electricity for everyone.Are you expecting electoral dividends, with more women voting for the Congress?HEBBALKAR: This is election time. If I deny and say that this was not done with elections in mind, it would not be fair. Of course, we have announced this popular programme aimed at women keeping the coming Assembly elections in mind. This is like Anna Bhagya (a scheme offering grains at a very low price to all families, launched by then Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah in 2013).Yes, this money can be used for women’s benefit. She can purchase her medicines or whatever she requires with the amount.Do you think such measures can help overcome caste-based politics and force parties to keep gender issues in mind?HEBBALKAR: I can only say that this will help the party. We will gain the confidence of women, we will get the support of her family. We think that one woman is not a single vote, but is equivalent to five votes. She can influence her husband, son, in-laws.You talk of empowering women, is the Congress also thinking in terms of increasing their representation in the Legislature?HEBBALKAR: For many years, the party has strived for upliftment of women. Even today (January 16), Siddaramaiah spoke about the women’s reservation Bill (at a rally attended by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi). During UPA-II, (Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi tabled the Bill to ensure reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. This was not passed due to opposition by some parties. But now, we are seriously considering providing more and more opportunities to women.However, we all know that winning is a criteria (in elections). And me, Roopakala M (Kolar Gold Fields MLA), Anjali Nimbalkar (Khanapur) and Sowmya Reddy (Jayanagar) won from four constituencies where the Congress had rarely won. We have proved that women can win in constituencies where the party had lost hope. We are giving our own example to the party high command and trying to convince them to give tickets to women in such constituencies. We have assured the party that we will fight and come back with a victory. This time we hope that due to the influence of Priyanka Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, more tickets will be given to women.You represent a constituency in the Kittur Karnataka region (formerly Mumbai Karnataka). The Congress faced challenges here in the 2018 elections and performed below par. What are your plans for this election?HEBBALKAR: Whichever party, be it the Congress or BJP, wins more seats in the Kittur Karnataka region, forms the government. This time, unlike 2018, the scenario is very different (for the Congress). People of this region are fed up with price rise, corruption and other issues. They see Siddaramaiah, other Congress leaders and the party as capable of offering better governance, as was the case in the 2013 Congress government.Also, there is no internal strife among Congress leaders in the region. Compared to 2018, there are no more internal fights. This will benefit us.Since you represent the Panchamasali community, how will their reservation demand have a bearing on the coming elections?HEBBALKAR: I have to be very direct about this. The current government has to announce 2A reservation for Panchamasalis. Not only that, they have to reveal the procedure by which they will implement it. Only then can the BJP hope to make any gains from it.(The Panchamasali Lingayats have been agitating for nearly two years for 15% quota under OBC 2A category. Partly to meet this demand, the state government recently announced 2D category for the Lingayat community, along with 2C for Vokkaligas, with the promise of 6% of the 10% EWS quota. The Panchamasalis have rejected the same.)
