The Belagavi District Kannada Organisations’ Action Committee has urged the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, to take the lead in resolving the protracted Mahadayi water dispute if he and his government are committed to linking rivers and utilising surface water without allowing it to wastefully drain into the sea.
In a statement issued here on Friday, committee president Ashok Chandargi said Mr. Gadkari’s remarks at a function in the city on Thursday seemed to indicate his concern on scarcity of water and a keenness to link rivers to boost agricultural production and promote inland waterways. Mr. Gadkari had pointed out that 70 per cent of the groundwater was going to waste by draining into the sea while States were fighting among themselves to share water from the remaining 30 per cent.
Appreciating Mr. Gadkari’s concern, Mr. Chandargi said it is unfortunate that the concern of the Minister and the Centre does not show in the Mahadayi dispute. The people of four districts of north Karnataka have been struggling for more than two decades to link Mahadayi river with Malaprabha through the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, but the BJP government in Goa is reluctant to share Mahadayi water with Karnataka.
He said nearly 200 tmcft of water from Mahadayi river is flowing unutilised into the Arabian Sea, but the Goa government is opposing Karnataka’s demand for just 7.56 tmcft for drinking and irrigation purposes just because the Mahadayi river flows through Goan territory. Mr. Chandargi called upon Mr. Gadkari to convince his party’s government in Goa to relent.
“Mere preaching and speaking for public and media consumption will not do. Words lose their meaning if they are not followed up by action,” he said.
Union Minister asked to get the BJP govt. in Goa to relent on releasing
7.56 tmcft of water
