The Belagavi district administration, police department and officials of the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (KNNL) went into a tizzy on Saturday morning after a few television channels aired “news” of demolition of a wall across the Kalasa Nala, near Kankumbi village of Khanapur taluk, under the Kala-Banduri Nala diversion project.
The news reports quotes a BJP worker Girish Mattannavar, who claimed that the wall had been demolished. After some television channels broadcast the “news”, activists of various organisations burst crackers at Rani Channamma Circle in Belagavi city and “celebrated” Mattannavar’s alleged venture.
However, after a quick verification, Regional Commissioner N. Jayaram and Superintendent of Police B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda concluded that the news reports were false. Both said action would be initiated against those who spread false news.
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A senior official in KNNL also told The Hindu that a team visited the spot and found the wall intact. While ruling out sabotage, he said KNNL could not immediately rule out the possibility of miscreants clearing some portion of soil near a point of leakage on one side of the wall near the temple on one side of the nala. The officials are still at the site, conducting a thorough inspection.
Dr. Gowda said a police inspector and District Armed Reserved (DAR) personnel had been deputed at the spot a month ago. The irrigation department had taken up works on nala, but no demolition or damage had taken place, he said.