TEAM HERALD
BELGAUM: While advocates and farmers organizations in north Karnataka have reorganized to put pressure to implement the controversial Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion project, the Karnataka government is all set to give a strong representation during the September 3 hearing before the Kalsa Bhandura Water Dispute Tribunal.
According to official sources, a high power meeting in this regard was held in Bangalore on Monday evening. The meeting was chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah, Irrigation Minister M B Patil and his ministerial colleagues, while senior officials of the department attended the meeting.
Apart from deliberating in the matter, the issue pertaining to the water sharing problems with Telangana and Tamil Nadu was also discussed.
“Apart from genuine drinking water needs of the people of Hubli-Dharwad, the issue carries tremendous political weightage, as political fortunes of all the political parties in four districts of north Karnataka – Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag and Bagalkot depend on the implementation of the Kalsa-Bhandura project,” sources in the ministry said.
“An all-out attempt is being made to make a strong representation before the Tribunal and restart the work on the project,” a source said.
The Karnataka government will reiterate its demand to divert 7.5 TMC of the 200 TMC of water into the Malaprabha River, which according to Karnataka, flows into Mahadei and is wasted into the Arabian Sea.
The move by Karnataka government has coincided with the initiatives of advocates from north Karnataka, who conducted a special day long workshop last Sunday for advocates in the region.
and activists to sensitise the issue by taking various initiatives.
The initiatives include an indefinite agitation at Jantar-Mantar at Delhi from the first day of the winter session of the Parliament seeking for the attention of the Union government to push for the early implementation of the project.
