Goa water minister sticks to stand, says no water sharing till tribunal verdict

He had earlier called Parrikar's letter promising release of water as a 'political stunt'.
Goa water minister sticks to stand, says no water sharing till tribunal verdict
Goa water minister sticks to stand, says no water sharing till tribunal verdict
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Goa Water Resources Development Minister Vinod Palienker reaffirmed his decision not to release water to Karnataka ahead of the tribunal verdict, contradicting Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over the Mahadayi water dispute.

He was speaking to media persons after a delegation of Mahadayi Bachav Abhiyan (MBA) led by a former minister called on him to take a firm view of the issue. Palienkar said, “I have made my stand very clear on Mahadayi river water. Once we take a stand on an issue we do not change it,” said Palienkar speaking to The Hindu.  

Palienkar is a member of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), an ally of the BJP in the state. He has repeatedly insisted that the state will not share a drop of water with neighbouring Karnataka without a tribunal verdict. 

“If someone thinks that Mahadayi water cannot be taken by Karnataka, he is living in fool’s paradise. He doesn’t understand law. (If) a river flows through three States including Karnataka, how can you deny water to them? But they cannot take the water to some other area. They have to drink it or they have to use it in that area only,” he added speaking to The Hindu.

He had earlier termed Parrikar’s letter promising release of water as a ‘political stunt’. “As Water Resources Minister I have made my stand clear. Whatever he (Parrikar) has written (in the letter), he has not sent me. You ask him. If he has sent it to Karnataka, I can only comment, that it must be a political stunt, therefore he sent the letter. I do not want to say anything more about that," Palienkar said speaking to Times of India.

Karnataka and Goa are at odds over the sharing of water of Mahadayi river. Karnataka is set to go to polls this year.

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