Advocate general visits Degao to ‘understand River Mhadei’

Panaji: Advocate general of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni along with the team of advocates and officials of the water resources department concerned with the Mhadei matter visited Degao near Khanapur in Karnataka on Friday to see the origin of River Mhadei and to enrich their understanding of the Mhadei issue.
River Mhadei, known in Goa as the Mandovi, originates in the forested areas of village Degao within the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary near Khanpur.From Degao, the Mhadei crossing the jungle area enters Gavali-Chapoli from where it tumbles down to form a perennial waterfall of the Vazra Poya. From Krishnapur, the river enters Goa in Cadval of Sattari.
Karnataka under the Kalsa-Bhandura schemes has already completed major work of the Kalsa canal in Kankumbi and simultaneously wants to carry work of damming and diverting tributaries like Haltara, Bhandura, Singur, Pat that are the main sources of water for the wildlife of Bhimgad sanctuary of Karnataka and the Mhadei sanctuary of Goa.
WRD chief engineer Sandeep Nadkarni, additional chief engineer Premanand Kamat and other officials of WRD and advocates who are looking over the matter were part of the team that visited Degao. Though they could not visit the source of origin of River Mhadei, they trekked for about 1km to see how the river enters Degao from the jungle on the hill and goes in the direction of Goa. Presently, Degao’s forested areas are included in the Bhimgad sanctuary and the forest department of Karnataka has taken necessary steps for curtailing quarrying, mining and other activities responsible for environment degradation. The plan of damming and diverting these tributaries of the Mhadei would result in a loss of biodiversity and environment in the area.
Nadkarni told mediapersons, “Karnataka has started work of damming and diverting tributaries of the Mhadei near Degao when the matter is before the Mhadei water dispute tribunal. We have visited to get a clear idea of the source of origin of the river so that the arguments in the matter could be made systematically. We are preparing to argue in the next hearing before the tribunal on July 15.”