An-all party meeting chaired by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday, to discuss the way forward in the Mahadayi river water dispute, decided to hold a meeting with Karnataka’s former Chief Ministers and Water Resources Ministers on December 6 to discuss the State’s water disputes and irrigation projects.
The meeting will be helpful in taking an appropriate stand on the State’s irrigation projects and water disputes, said the Chief Minister.
On the Mahadayi dispute, the Chief Minister has written to the Centre appealing that a gazette notification on the tribunal award be issued at the earliest. This will help facilitate the State government to start work on infrastructure to utilise the State’s share of water. The meeting was informed about this.
Addressing presspersons after the meeting, Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar said a consultation with former Chief Ministers was essential as they and other former elected representatives will have their suggestions on resolving water disputes based on their experience in handling them during their tenure.
“Regarding Mahadayi, the State’s appeal for additional water has always been there. But, first of all, the given allocation should reach farmers and work on utilising the given allocation should begin at the earliest,” he said.
Former Water Resources Minister Basvaraj Bommai, who represented the BJP in the meeting, said the Chief Minister should have convened an all-party meeting before the State filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the court.
Stating that the State’s appeal for a gazette notification on the tribunal’s award may be difficult till the SLP is heard and decided by the court, he said: “We have suggested that the Chief Minister direct the legal team to work on getting the SLP decided at the earliest,” he said.
