PANJIM: The plans of the pro-Kalsa-Bhandura activists to unplug both the vents of the Kalsa canal in Kankumbi on Monday were thwarted by alert Karnataka police.
Karnataka police also arrested the activists’ leader Vatal Nagraj from Kittur near Belgavi, when he was on his way with his workers to Kankumbi to execute the plans of opening vents.
While Nagraj was arrested from Kittur, hundreds of other karyakartas of Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha were stopped at Jamboti, 15 kms from Kankumbi by police personnel, who outnumbered the activists.
Rajendra Kerkar who has been fighting the Mhadei cause told Herald that the activists’ plans were unsuccessful. “They came in big numbers but full credit to Karnataka police and Vishesh Kriti Dal who did not allow the activists to move beyond Jamboti. The activists later indulged in a rasta roko but from there too the crowd was dispersed by police,” Kerkar said.
The removal of the vents would allow water to flow from the Kalsa nullah to the Malaprabha river.
On October 23, Nagaraj had said that after assembling at Hubballi on October 26, the protesters would proceed to Kankumbi to launch the agitation seeking to resolve the Mhadei dispute at the earliest.
Speaking to media persons Nagaraj had said, “We will unplug the vents of the Kalsa canal that are responsible for blocking the flow of the Kalsa nullah water into the Malaprabha river. We respect the judiciary, but farmers in North Karnataka have been suffering for long due to lack of water for irrigation. We are ready to go to jail for the sake of Mhadei water to our farmers.”
On October 24, various Kannada organisations had observed a Black Day to mark the 100th day of the agitation in Nargund.
Following the threat to remove the vents, Belgavi police commissioner has directed the police to maintain law and order in Kunkumbi. Barricades have been erected on all the roads leading to both the vents of Kalsa canal.
Also, temporary barbed wire fencing was put up to prevent the agitators from approaching the vents.
Shivaji Dalvi, a member of Mauli Devasthan Committee, of Kankumbi, said, “On October 21, a large group of protesters came to Kankumbi. But as the police force was vigilant, after organizing a meeting they dispersed peacefully.”
