Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Nov 19: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday, November 18, appealed the people to have ‘little patience’ over the Mahadayi water diversion issue, claiming that no diversion would be allowed by the State.

“I have told you to wait for some time. Have little patience on the issue. I am not going to compromise on the issue. We will not allow water to be diverted,” Sawant told reporters on Monday evening.

He was referring to the statement by opposition parties and NGOs, which has castigated him for failure to get the Union government’s letter to Karnataka on Mahadayi issue, withdrawn.

Sawant had led all party delegation from Goa to New Delhi on November 4 asking Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to withdraw the letter given by his ministry to Karnataka excluding the requirement of Environment Clearance to one of the project on Mahadayi river.

On Monday, Sawant said that he is positive that Centre will fulfill demand of Goa. “Once again I want to say that there will be no compromise on the issue of Mahadayi,” he said.

Taking on Congress on the issue, the Chief Minister said that those who were ruling the state from 2007 to 2012 should have made ‘some noise’ over the issue (of Mahadayi river water diversion) which they never made resulting in the situation which has arisen today.