Stir planned at Jantar Mantar to implement Khalsa project

TEAM HERALD

BELGAUM: The legal unit of Kalsa Bhandura Malaprabha Jodana Yojane Yuva Horata Samiti has decided to launch an indefinite agitation at Jantar Mantar at Delhi from the first day of the winter session of Parliament to seek the attention of the Union government towards early implementation of the project.

A resolution on Kalsa-Bhandura Drinking Water Project was passed in the legal symposium organised by the Samiti’s legal unit at Advocates’ Samudaya Bhavan here on Sunday.

It was also resolved to put pressure on the state government to file a writ petition before the Supreme Court to prove that the diversion project did not amount to be an inter-state water dispute.

As per the resolution, over 500 advocates from Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwad, Gadag and Bagalkot district will take part in the agitation to draw the attention of the union government towards the implementation of the project.

Addressing the symposium, which was convened to discuss the impediments and legal hurdles in the implementation of the project, Samiti honorary president Advocate A G Mulawadmath stated that though the project was planned for implementation in 1960, it was yet to be achieved even after five decades.

“The project envisaged to provide drinking water facilities to Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwad, Bagalkot and Gadag district has now hit a roadblock after Goa took objection to the implementation,” he stated.

“As per Section 4 of the Inter-State Water Dispute Act 1956, the Centre was supposed to resolve the issue by arranging for discussion between the two states. However, the Centre shunned from its responsibility by setting up Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, which resulted in the two states fighting a prolonged legal battle,” said Mulawadmath.

“The union BJP government has announced its ambitious plan of linking rivers across the country and should immediately convene a meeting of the chief ministers of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra to solve the issue within two months to ensure drinking water facilities to four districts of north Karnataka.”

“Though Kalsa nala completely falls in the state, the state had been unable to make use of the water as the issue was brought under the ambit of the tribunal. Since the nala water does not join with Mahadayi river and nearly 90 per cent of the development works taken up here has been completed, the state government should file a writ petition to prove that the project had no connection with the inter-state water dispute, while the dispute with Bhandura project should be resolved with dialogues,” he stated.

Vijay Kulkari  welcoming the support extended by the legal fraternity called upon people from all walks of life to join the agitation seeking for the completion of drinking water project.