Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant hit back at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s “lost mental balance” remark, labeling it a reflection of “Congress culture” during a press interaction in Panaji on Friday at 12:00 PM IST. The retort follows Shivakumar’s claim on Thursday that Sawant lacked understanding of India’s federal structure and that Karnataka would proceed with the Mahadayi river project, despite Goa’s objections.

Sawant, addressing the Goa Assembly earlier, had vowed to file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka for continuing work on the Kalasa-Banduri project, which aims to divert 7.56 tmcft of Mahadayi water to the Malaprabha valley, benefiting over 40 lakh people in Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, and Bagalkot. Goa argues the diversion threatens its Mandovi river, a lifeline for its ecology and the Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary.

“We are serious about saving Mhadei,” Sawant said, accusing Karnataka’s Congress leaders of “stooping low” out of frustration. He reiterated Goa’s commitment to pursuing the issue with the Centre and the Supreme Court. The 2018 Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal allocated 13.42 tmcft to Karnataka, 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra, and 24 tmcft to Goa, notified in 2020, yet the project remains stalled amid legal and environmental concerns.

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Shivakumar, also Karnataka’s water resources minister, plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers to push for clearances, asserting the project is on Karnataka’s land and accusing Goa of politicizing the issue. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah called Sawant’s remarks an “insult” to Kannadigas, emphasizing the project’s necessity for North Karnataka’s drinking water.

The decades-long dispute, dating back to 1978, continues to strain inter-state relations, with Karnataka set to discuss it in its August 11 monsoon session.

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