I am confident, we will win Mhadei case: Goa CM

Panaji : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday expressed confidence that state will win the ‘Mhadei’ case, being heard in Supreme Court, against Karnataka. “We are very much serious about the case and evidence wise we are very much strong. We are confident that the state will win the case,” Sawant told reporters.

The Supreme Court has listed the hearing of the Mhadei river issue for November 29. Sawant said that his legal team is taking review of the matter and are focused on the issue. Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai on Saturday demanded a House Committee meeting over issue, which was last held in February.

The bordering states of Goa and Karnataka are currently involved in a dispute over the Kalasa-Banduri dam project across the river.

"Call the House Committee meeting now. After a long delay, the Supreme Court has finally listed the matter for hearing on Wednesday (November 29). I demand an urgent review meeting of the House Committee on Mhadei on Monday to discuss this most important issue Goa faces today," Sardesai said.

"I urge Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodker to take the lead. As I have always maintained, this is a matter of life and death," said Sardesai, an MLA from the opposition group. Sardesai said that the last meeting of the House Committee was held on February 8.

On that day, Subhash Shirodkar, after chairing the preliminary meeting of the House Committee, had said that the battle for Mhadei water diversion will be fought at the administrative and Supreme Court levels.

“We have to fight (this case) on the administrative and Supreme Court levels. We should be perfect in submission at the administrative level and should make our defence strong in the Supreme Court. These suggestions will play an important role,” Shirodkar had said.

The BJP government in Goa is under attack since the Central Water Commission approved the detailed project report prepared by Karnataka for the disputed Kalasa-Banduri dam. The Goa government was then forced to appoint a House Committee over the issue.