Lifeline in Peril

"Mandovi is the lifeline of our ecology, environment, tourism, mining industry and virtually everything else. Hence it plays a pivotal role in our economy as well as culture, and bestows on us our identity and means of livelihood," says RAJENDRA KERKAR, a social activist and a committee member of the Mahadei Bachao Abhiyan.

The Mandovi is the lifeline of Goans. The lives of Goans depend largely on this river. Actually, the name Goa itself originates from the river. Just we got India from the Indus river. It was the Gomati river, the ancient name of Mandovi, which is responsible for giving this beautiful land its name and fame.

The small State revolves around the water resources of the Mandovi. Out of Goa's eleven rivers, the Mandovi is definitely the important river. It feeds the maximum quota of the fresh, sweet water required by us. If the Mahadei or Mandovi is dammed, the water resources will be depleted and the people of this beautiful land will face paucity of water like never before.

Goa possesses a total of 3702 square kilometres of geographical area, out of which 1580 sq km form its total drainage area. The Mandovi covers five talukas-Sanguem, Sattari, Bardez, Tiswadi and Ponda--out of the total of eleven talukas of the State. These five talukas, directly or indirectly, depend upon on Mahadei for sustenance. Mahadei, in fact, means the 'great mother', and it holds the maximum quantity of water. The name Mandovi is related to tax, mandd means tax. When the ships arriving from distant lands would enter Gopakkapattam, they had to pay a particular tax, which called mandd and that's how the name Mandovi originated.

Mandovi is the lifeline of our ecology, environment, tourism, mining industry and virtually everything else. Hence it plays a pivotal role in our economy as well as culture, and bestows on us our special identity and means of livelihood.

The cruel neighbour

Presently, the Karnataka government has a plan to construct 11 dams; they have already obtained permission to construct three dams. They have planned one of the projects-Altara Project-at Chorla village. If this project materializes then the Sanquelim water treatment plant, which provides water for the Bicholim and Sanquelim areas, will dry up. Moreover, the Valvanti river, which is important for Keri, Poriem, Molem and some parts of Bicholim, and which in the Mandovi at Tharmas, will also suffer with the damming of the river.

The Karnataka government wants to build the second project at Kalsa, in close vicinity of Surla. Surla is an extremely scenic village, which could be almost termed as the 'Matheran of Goa', situated as it is at a height of 800 metres above the sea level. Surla possesses a very pleasant and soothing climate, and even at the height of summer you can experience freezing cold here. The village is very rich in bio-diversity as well as cultural heritage. Surla village will be affected adversely by the Kalsa project.

Malaprabha, a dying river

Karnataka has planned the third project at Nerse, and the three dams will divert the water into the Malaprabha river, which is facing water paucity. The Renuga Sagar tank of the Navaltirtha dam has also been affected seriously, failing to fulfill its target. Hence, for several years, the sugarcane lobby in Karnataka has been exerting immense pressure on all the political parties in the State, to go for the diversion of the waters of the Mahadei. However, Karnataka is not aware of what is the actual problem. The former Conservator of the Forests, Yellappa Reddy, in his report had stated that it was the deforestation in the Gamboti area of Karnataka, which was primarily responsible bringing for ushering an early death to the Malaprabha river.

Malaprabha is a very big river, the real cause of whose misery being deforestation. Without any hesitation, the government should have gone in for afforestation straight away and planted indigenous trees in the afflicted area. Their planners have forgotten the main pain and agony of the important river and now they are out to divert the very lifeline of Goa-the Mahadei or the Mandovi, and consign Goa to a similar fate.

Doom looming large

The damming of the river will spell the doom of this very tiny land, which has been described by eminent foreign writers as a tropical paradise. Many foreigners came to this land from times immemorial because it is a land blessed by heavy rainfall and good climatic conditions. And now we have the neighbouring state of Karnataka government about to inflict the same unfortunate status they are suffering in their State on our beautiful land. Hospet, Bijapur, Bellari, Gulbarga, etc, in Karnataka have been facing an acute shortage of water scarcity, because of the clearing a large chunk of dense forest.

We have to prevent our neighbours from causing an environmental catastrophe for Goa. Hence it is high time for us to come together and oppose the proposed plan of the Karnataka government to dam the Mahadei river. If we ignore the danger looming large today, then we will bring our future and that of our children to the very brink of disaster. We need to think seriously about the highly disturbing issue, monitor the moves of Karnataka and mobilize the public opinion on this issue. For this very reason, in the year 1986 we started the Mahadai Bachao Abhiyan. The movement was initiated by Ms Nirmala Sawant, former MLA and present president of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee.

Under Ms Sawant's leadership, the Abhiyan was been quite successful in creating awareness in various parts of Goa. We have to exercise caution because Karnataka's project will not only affect our bio-diversity but our tourism, mining and other activities will also be badly hampered

The Mandovi is a navigable river since ancient times and the Kadamba rulers used this river efficiently for navigation, and even today the mining industry uses this river to transport iron ore right from Sanvordem to Marmagoa Harbour, to export it to other countries and earn valuable foreign exchange.

Caring for forest cover

If we allow things to move at their own pace, eventually rainfall will decrease, affecting the climatology of this region. In fact, Goa is the only region famed for its good climate throughout India, and that is the reason why visitors are attracted to this land. If the flow of the tourists to Goa is to be maintained one would have to think about the climatology of Goa, and the ideal situation will last as long as we maintain our forest cover.

In 1996, former governor Jacob declared an area of 208 sq km in Sattari as the Mahadei Wild Life Sanctuary and 211 sq kms as Netravali Wild Life Sanctuary. His intention was only to keep Goa's water resources intact because the forest is the sole area which has to potential to regenerate water resources. Our water table will dip deeper and be depleted if Karnataka government's plan materializes and we fail to act now.

Danger to Goa's glory

The site selected by Karnataka for the project, is an earthquake prone area. At present they already have five to six projects, and within a 50-km radius, they are eager to build eleven more dams. The dams at Palna and Katla will block and ruin our famed Dudhsagar Waterfalls. Palna and Katla will be built on Goa's Khandepar river, which forms the source of our Dudhsagar Waterfalls, the glory of Goa. Should the Falls, which add enchanting natural beauty to Goa, disappear, we can imagine our terrible plight…without Dudhsagar, without the Mandovi.

Mandovi has helped shape our identify. It is responsible for the growth of shipping and Goa's history itself. Almost since the Kadamba period the river has been responsible for nurturing our civilization. The pre-historic main dwelt in the river basin of the Mandovi. We have some rock art carving sites, and one of them discovered at a place called Mauxi in Valpoi, belongs to the Neolithic period, it is a humped bull. So from the Neolithic period till today, Goa has cast a magic spell on the visitors mainly because of its water resources.

Without water, the civilization will suffer. The people living in Bijapur, Hospet, Bellary, Gulbarga, etc, in Karnataka, have felt the impact of the slowly but surely developing ecological catastrophe and have shifted to other places for their survival. And many have shifted their base to Goa, mainly because of water, which is the only entity which will help Goa prosper. Today, when the most parts of India are hit by drought in varying degrees and suffering a lot, Goa still remains a place where there is ample amount of potable water and fresh water resources. If only we allow these important elements to last, then alone will Goa's civilisation last.

Mahadei Bachao Abhiyan

Hence, in order to save Goa, we have to save the Mandovi. The Mahadei Bachao movement is the only movement and right forum vide which we can save our mother. The Mahadei Bachao Abhiyan has already started mobilizing the people on this issue. We have despatched a resolution to almost all the panchayats in the State, with a request to sign it and forward it to the Prime Minister of India.

Ms Nirmala Sawant along with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar went to Delhi recently. She represented the real concern and firm opinion of the Abhiyan. The Prime Minister is said to have assured to be sympathetic to our cause and to help Goa in conserving the Mandovi. We have been meeting the people, creating awareness among them and we have been rewarded with a sufficiently warm response from the people. They are beginning to realize gradually the potent threat of the ticking bomb, and are participating in our programmes. We organise street plays, we sing songs on the issue. We organise slide shows and lectures in schools, colleges and public places. Even the media has been forthcoming by publishing articles on the issue.

Saving mission

We are hopeful of success. And once we have succeeded in saving the Mandovi river, we will not sit back and rest but continue to create awareness about the remaining ten rivers of Goa. We want to save all the rivers. But Mandovi being the most important river, we are determined to save it by hook or by crook.