Mhadei river not to be diverted: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane on Thursday informed the legislative assembly that the state government would not tolerate any diversion of the Mhadei river water.

Replying to a budgetary demand of Rs 140.38 crore of the water resources department, he said the National Water Development Agency has, in its report mentioned, that the there was surplus water in the Malaprabha basin.

Rane said the Karnataka too wanted to divert the Mhadei river water to the Malaprabha basin, but the Goa government was "firm in its opposition to any diversion of the Mhadei river water".

The NWDA report itself clearly indicated that the Malaprabha basin has surplus water and there was no need of more water in the basin. Rane said the government was firm and would not hesitate to take the dispute to the Water Dispute Tribunal.