Export Water, Import Oil: Goa Agri Minister Ravi Naik Provides Food For Thought

Parts of goa have been reeling under water shortage for months now. With the summers approaching, the crisis is likely to get deeper and denser. Amidst this Minister Ravi Naik shares his solution.

New Delhi: Goa’s Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik has a peculiar suggestion for the Goans. According to media reports, he said at a government function that water should be privatised and exported to Gulf countries in exchange for fuel. He also stated that excess rainwater should be blocked by building a network of dams in the state. Naik was quoted by IANS as saying, “We import petrol from foreign countries. We can export them water and import petrol. Goa witnesses around 126 inches of rain. If we block this water by building dams across Goa (it can be done).”

For Maharashtra, he said that harvested water could also be sent to drought-prone regions in the state. “The work should be given to a private company and there should be a dam in every taluka. We can send the water to Arab countries or even to Maharashtra where there is shortage,” Naik said.

Tit for Tat

Naik also added, “If Arabs can charge us for petrol extracted from under the earth, let us do the same with water which we can source by blocking rainwater.” He said that private entities should be tasked with harvesting all the rainwater and keeping some aside for use in the state.

Earlier in 2022, he had expressed that the ‘big companies’ should be invited to build dams across the state. The dams must be erected ‘between the hills’. And the water can be used for horticulture as well.

Acute water shortage in Goa

The minister’s statement comes at a time when Goa is reeling under water scarcity. According to a report by the Times of India, regions of Assoi-Dongri have been seeing water shortages for over eight months now. Areas of Siolim and Morojim receive tap water only once a week. With summers staring at the face of Indians, the PWD in Goa is also, reportedly not providing Goans with ample water tanks.

(With IANS inputs)