Mahadayi River Dispute Intensifies Between Karnataka and Goa

BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has strongly condemned Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's recent remarks on the contentious Mahadayi river project. Bommai criticized Sawant for politicizing the issue, emphasizing that any progress made on the Mahadayi project occurred under BJP's governance.

Sawant had asserted in the Goa Assembly that the Centre would deny approval for the Mahadayi project and threatened legal action against Karnataka for attempting to divert the river's waters. Bommai refuted these claims, challenging Congress's authority to comment on an issue he argues they mishandled in the past.

The Kalasa-Banduri project remains a contentious point, with Karnataka seeking to divert Mahadayi water to boost its drinking water supply, while Goa contends this would harm their environment. Concurrently, Bommai addressed Karnataka's fertilizer shortage, promising better supply management and coordination with central authorities for additional urea shipments.

(With inputs from agencies.)