SC admits Mhadei petition
Adv
Cleofator Almedia Coutinho
4 August 2007
Supreme Court
has admitted a petition regarding the diversion of Mhadei river by Karnataka,
while issuing notices to the Karnataka government as well as the union ministry
of environment and forests.
The petition, filed by the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan
in March, has pointed out at environmental destruction the diversion would cause
to the rich forest belt.
The petition was admitted yesterday.
"We
have prayed that no permission be granted to construct dams on the Mhadei river
in Karnataka by the ministry of environment and forest", said Nirmala Sawant,
the MBA convenor.
Karnataka, at Kankumbi, has started construction work
of a dam, in spite of repeated directives from the union water resources ministry
to stop the work.
Goa government, in the meanwhile, has also filed yet anther
petition before the Supreme Court, pointing out at the water diversion by Karnataka.
The
MBA had to file another petition since the environmental aspect was not included
in the state government's petition.
In fact, the MBA is upset since the
Goa government has been taking unilateral steps without consulting the social
activists as well as MBA, involved in the struggle against the diversion of Mhadei
water for over a decade now.
Your
Comments Please
