“It is shocking, highly disappointing and unjust to the people of North Karnataka.”
This was the common reaction of leaders of various Kannada and farmers’ organisations on the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal’s rejection of the State’s interim plea seeking release of 7 tmcft of water from Mahadayi river through the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of four districts of North Karnataka – Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad and Gadag.
Leaders such as Ashok Chandargi, president of the Belagavi District Kannada Organisations’ Action Committee, Sidgoud Modgi, State president of Bharatiya Krishik Samaj, Raghavendra Naik, district president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, and other came out strongly against the verdict, They said the Tribunal had dealt a severe blow to the tens of thousands of farmers agitating for early implementation of the water diversion project for the past two decades. They said they would not remain silent and would launch a more intense struggle soon.
Farmers at Nargund had launched an indefinite agitation more than a year ago over the issue and were hopefully looking to the Tribunal to pass a favourable verdict.
Mr. Chandargi said they would now pressure the 19 BJP MPs from Karnataka to “prove their worth” and stage an indefinite dharna in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence till the latter promises to intervene and provide an out-of-court resolution.
