A year ago, on January 16, 2023, a massive meeting at Sanquelim, called by citizens concerned over the issue, had raised the issue of the River Mhadei water diversion imbroglio.
The meeting had followed the Centre’s approval of the DPR of Karnataka for utilization of the Mhadei river waters. It was a show of strength and the meeting’s convenors had managed to bring to Sanquelim people from every taluka of Goa.
As the meeting came to a conclusion, the people had given the government 15 days to act on the matter.
A year later, what has been the progress in the Mhadei matter? Have the demands of the people at that meeting been met? Has Goa achieved any victory, however small it may be, in the past 12 months
Pertinently, as that meeting had ended, in this column the questions asked were: what next? How will this people’s movement for the Mhadei river waters be taken forward? There have been no replies, but then, none were expected as they were rhetorical.
But, a year later, these turn relevant as the movement, or rather the lack of it, is clearly visible. There is no leadership and no direction. It has been left to the government to take up the issue in the way it thinks best.
It felt great to claim that the politicians had been kept out of the meeting. Few legislators attended the meeting – just six out of 40 – which is not even the entire opposition.
But a year later, these turn relevant as the movement, or rather the lack of it, is clearly visible. There is no leadership and no direction.
It portrayed that this was indeed a people’s movement, but then without political leadership, it is almost impossible to take a movement forward.
The government at that time was on defensive mode, taken aback by the Centre’s decision and faced the attacks from the opposition and the people. It was the right time to wrest the initiative and force certain decisions to be taken on the issue.
What is indicative here is that it is easy to fire the first salvo, even start something new, but it is not that easy to sustain it.
Where the movement for the Mhadei is concerned, much was expected after that meeting a year ago.
But little has been seen happening; no doubt there have been a few awareness building programmes and exercises conducted, but keeping Mhadei alive in the minds of the people has failed.
As cases are still being determined in court, a solution that benefits Goa and bring some finality to the long-pending matter eludes us. One reason for this could be the partisan lines that have been adopted by the political parties.
It is the absolute need that the movement for Mhadei has to be a joint one – of the people and the politicians. It won’t succeed if one of these is kept out.
It is the absolute need that the movement for Mhadei has to be a joint one – of the people and the politicians. It won’t succeed if one of these is kept out.
There has to be a consensus and action has to be taken based on these decisions.
The time for politics on the issue is long over as the Mhadei is the lifeline of the state and is an issue that brings out emotions in Goa.
It’s only a two-pronged movement of this sort that can make it work – where the people keep up the pressure on the State government to do what is required, and where the State dialogues with the Centre to get the best possible solution in its favour.
Goa, one has to remember, is a water deficient state and the 'Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan' has been consistently saying that. Why isn’t this the fulcrum of the argument that Goa uses?
Of the three states through which the Mhadei flows, the largest catchment area is in Goa. Any diversion or utilisation of waters will affect the flow of water in Goa and lead to detrimental effects on the state.
The arguments in favour of Goa are therefore many and relevant, why then are these not being presented to the relevant authorities to arrive at a decision?
If the Mhadei, the lifeline of Goa cannot unite all under a single umbrella, there is nothing else that will.
It is a matter that affects everybody in the state, yet Goa has been unable to take it forward or find a solution to it. Time is running out and unless we come together, the matter will drag on without resolution.