North Karnataka may not warm up to the cause

The Karnataka bandh called on Saturday may end up being ignored in north Karnataka districts.

Regional farmers’ leaders have questioned the need to participate in the bandh, called against Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the proposed Mekedatu project on the Cauvery, when their concerns over water-sharing in north Karnataka have not been reciprocated by their counterparts in the south.

“Have they ever even tried to study irrigation projects of NK region, especially the Upper Krishna Project (UKP)?” said Panchappa Kalburgi, veteran irrigation activist from Vijayapura and president of the Bhima Nadi Neeru Horata Samiti.

While the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has announced its support to the bandh, its own office-bearers and members in north Karnataka are averse to responding to the call.

“We have had two Bachawat awards about distribution of Krishna and Godavari waters, and several agitations. When none from the organisations or farmers’ leaders from Bengaluru or old Mysore districts has participated in them, why should we?” Veerabhushan Nandagave leader of KRRS said.

However, KRRS State president Chamarasa Patil feels that it is some political leaders of north Karnataka who are not supporting the bandh call for their own interests. He said the KRRS had always kept in mind the interests of farmers of entire Karnataka and hence would support the bandh.