Hubballi: While the Congress begins a 168-km padyatra from Mekedatu (Sangam) to Bengaluru, residents of the Krishna and Malaprabha river basins wonder why the leaders are not taking out a padyatra for the Upper Krishna and Kalasa-Banduri Nala projects.
He remembers that Siddaramaiah came to power from Hosapete on foot. Kudalsangam in 2013. He also blames Congress, BJP and JD(S) for the backwardness of the river basin.
GC Muttaldini, Convener, Krishna Teera Mulugade orangestar promotion Samaste told TOI that all governments, irrespective of party affiliation, have ignored the UKP. “However, during the tenure of HD Deve Gowda, there was considerable progress in the project, SM Krishna and JH Patel. Now be it the Congress or the BJP, they should try to do away with all the nine conditions laid down for Karnataka in the second judgment of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. Only then can the state use 130 TMC Krishna mainstream water. The irony is that no one is demanding a gazette notification. Keeping all these issues aside, Congress is on Mekedatu padyatra. In fact, common people should agitate and it should be supported by political parties like how it happened in Krishna river basin in 2004. Neither the Congress-JD(S) coalition nor the BJP government has shown any interest in the last four years, after Siddaramaiah approved a maximum of Rs 8,000 crore for the UKP over the years.
However, he added that the Congress’ padyatra may attract the attention of the state government for showing at least some minimal interest.
Vijay Kulkarni, president of the Kalasa-Banduri Horata Samiti, said that if Congress or any party undertakes a padyatra to demand the implementation of Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, they welcome it. “We had approached the Congress government between 2013-18 to demand land worship for the project. However, Sonia Gandhi Said in Goa that his party would not allow even a drop of Mahadayi’s water to come to Karnataka. This shows that irrigation projects have become an election stunt for all parties. We wonder how the Congress is doing a foot march to Mekedatu for which there is no estimate, project report or dam ready. While the Kalasa-Banduri project has everything ready, the political will of North Karnataka politicians to implement it is lacking. Whether they are in BJP, Congress or JD(S), they are all careless towards our project and that is why Congress, which is currently an opposition party, is focusing on Mekedatu. The Congress government had performed Bhoomi Puja on October 2, 1960. Congress should come up with all these facts and not just make it an election stunt.”
He remembers that Siddaramaiah came to power from Hosapete on foot. Kudalsangam in 2013. He also blames Congress, BJP and JD(S) for the backwardness of the river basin.
GC Muttaldini, Convener, Krishna Teera Mulugade orangestar promotion Samaste told TOI that all governments, irrespective of party affiliation, have ignored the UKP. “However, during the tenure of HD Deve Gowda, there was considerable progress in the project, SM Krishna and JH Patel. Now be it the Congress or the BJP, they should try to do away with all the nine conditions laid down for Karnataka in the second judgment of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. Only then can the state use 130 TMC Krishna mainstream water. The irony is that no one is demanding a gazette notification. Keeping all these issues aside, Congress is on Mekedatu padyatra. In fact, common people should agitate and it should be supported by political parties like how it happened in Krishna river basin in 2004. Neither the Congress-JD(S) coalition nor the BJP government has shown any interest in the last four years, after Siddaramaiah approved a maximum of Rs 8,000 crore for the UKP over the years.
However, he added that the Congress’ padyatra may attract the attention of the state government for showing at least some minimal interest.
Vijay Kulkarni, president of the Kalasa-Banduri Horata Samiti, said that if Congress or any party undertakes a padyatra to demand the implementation of Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, they welcome it. “We had approached the Congress government between 2013-18 to demand land worship for the project. However, Sonia Gandhi Said in Goa that his party would not allow even a drop of Mahadayi’s water to come to Karnataka. This shows that irrigation projects have become an election stunt for all parties. We wonder how the Congress is doing a foot march to Mekedatu for which there is no estimate, project report or dam ready. While the Kalasa-Banduri project has everything ready, the political will of North Karnataka politicians to implement it is lacking. Whether they are in BJP, Congress or JD(S), they are all careless towards our project and that is why Congress, which is currently an opposition party, is focusing on Mekedatu. The Congress government had performed Bhoomi Puja on October 2, 1960. Congress should come up with all these facts and not just make it an election stunt.”
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