‘All parties have neglected Mahadayi’

A mega rally of farmers will discuss pending irrigation and drinking water projects in Bengaluru on December 15.

“If our demands for faster completion of Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri projects are not met by December 15, we will start a State-wide agitation,” members of the Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri agitation committee said in Belagavi on Tuesday.

The committee has been seeking sharing of Mahadayi river water between Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra by constructing reservoirs and channels in Karnataka.

Vijay Kulkarni, president of the committee and farmers’ leader, said the BJP, Congress and JD(S) were equally disinterested in the project. “Leaders from each of the parties keep saying they will resolve the issue. Or else, they blame each other saying why the other party did not end the dispute when they were in power. We keep asking them to stop seeking credit and to work together to bring all riparian States and resolve the dispute. But none of them are willing to listen,” Mr. Kulkarni said. He pointed out that projects in south Karnataka like Mekedatu and Yettinahole were getting speedy clearances while northern projects were limping.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an unprecedented opportunity to end the issue now. There are BJP governments in Goa and Maharashtra, and the Karnataka government is open to an out-of-court settlement. He should use this opportunity to better the lives of people of arid north Karnataka, Mr. Kulkarni told presspersons. Articles 262 and 263 of the Constitution empower the Prime Minister to interfere in cases of disputes between States. Atal Behari Vajpayee used this and allotted 7.5 tmc ft. of Kalasa-Banduri waters to Karnataka. Mr. Modi should follow Mr. Vajpayee’s model and end the water sharing row.

He said the committee will start a series of agitations if the Union and State governments do not take steps to resolve all disputes and start work on the Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri Nala projects immediately.

Leaders Vikas Soppin, Ayyappa, Gururaj Huller, T.T. Murkatnal, Shivanand Meti, Sidagouda Modagi and others were present.