Panaji (Goa) Ahead of Karnataka calling for State Bandh on January 25 in support of Mhadei river diversion, in Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and WRD Minister Vinod Playekar skips crucial awareness session on the issue along with 32 other legislators.

Special awareness programme was organized on ‘Mhadei- the Lifeline’ for the Ministers, MLAs, ex Ministers and MLAs by the Goa Legislature Secretariat today afternoon. Noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar was the key note speaker.

Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant, deputy Speaker Michael Lobo, Minister Rohan Khaunte and MLAs Prasad Gaonkar, Alina Saldanha and Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco were the only six MLAs who attended the hour long session.

Several Ex MLAs and Ministers attended the event.

Speaker of the legislative assembly Pramod Sawant expressed disgust over the lackluster response from the lawmakers.

“We had sent the invite to all the MLAs including the ministers. It is unfortunate that majority of them did not turn up for the event,” Sawant told reporters at the sidelines of the event.

He said that the session was held to “educate the lawmakers on the issue.” “We wanted all the MLAs to be aware about the seriousness of the issue,” Sawant said adding that Chief Minister had informed him in advance that he would not make it for the program due to his preoccupation.