Goa collecting visual proof of construction on Mhadei river

Goa government has started sending undercover officials to get visual proof of the construction activity undertaken by Karnataka on Kalsa-banduri dam on Mhadei river.

Goa government has started sending undercover officials to get visual proof of the construction activity undertaken by Karnataka on the Kalsa-banduri dam on Mhadei river.

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Karnataka government is constructing a dam on Kalsa-Bandura tributary of Mhadei river, which has been strongly objected by the Goa government and a dispute on the issue is pending before a tribunal.

State water resources minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues said that state government officials are being sent to the dam site to get pictures of the construction activity for a proper documentation.

Mhadei river is considered a lifeline of Goa and environmentalists in the state feel that diversion of water would spell doom on the ecology downstream.

Rodrigues said that the documentation of the construction work would be used against Karnataka to fight a case before Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal.

The recently-formed tribunal is yet to start the hearing of the dispute between both the states over the matter.

Rodrigues said that Karnataka should not go ahead with the construction work as the dispute is pending with the
tribunal.

The Mhadei river originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian sea at Panaji. While the river travels 28.8 kms in
Karnataka, it traverses 81.2 kms in length in Goa.