Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, May 19: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has voiced strong opposition to the Mhadei River diversion project, warning it poses severe threats to Goa’s environment and water security.

Speaking at a press conference in Panaji, South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes criticised a recent National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) report on the project as biased and lacking thorough field verification. He highlighted research from respected bodies such as IISc, IIT Mumbai, ATREE, and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research, all of which caution that the diversion could lead to saline desertification in Goa.

The GPCC emphasised that cutting the Mhadei’s flow would impact over 43% of Goa’s population dependent on the river, especially since the Mandovi River is already vulnerable to saline intrusion.

The project also threatens Goa’s lush evergreen forests, which rely on consistent flows from tributaries like Bhandura and Kalasa during dry seasons. Reduced water availability could harm biodiversity, increase forest fragmentation, and jeopardise critical wildlife sanctuaries such as Mhadei in Goa and Bhimgad in Karnataka by drying up essential water sources.

Marine ecosystems along the coast are at risk as well, given that the Mhadei transports vital nutrients from the Western Ghats, sustaining local fish and seafood populations. A decrease in flow could disrupt these ecosystems and endanger coastal livelihoods.

The GPCC further warned that harming the Mhadei and its source forests in the Western Ghats — a globally significant ecological hotspot — could have cascading effects on the region’s climate.

Captain Fernandes urged political unity on the issue and called on the Chief Minister to lead a bipartisan delegation to the Prime Minister, pressing for urgent measures to protect the Mhadei River and its ecosystem.