A delegation of Rahul Gandhi Rural Development, Cultural and Sports Institute of Sira submitted a memorandum to Pontiff of Gurugunda Brahmeshwara Mutt of Pattanayanahalli, Nanjavadhoota Swamiji, to take out a padayathra from Tumkur to Bangalore, urging the Government to implement the permanent drinking water project in Sira taluk of Tumkur district.

The delegation lead by the Association President and Congress leader C R Umesh, met the Swamiji recently, at the Mutt and appealed him to lead the agitation.

In the memorandum submitted to the Swamiji, the members have stated that the Swamiji had taken keen interest in this agitation, to ensure that the people of Sira taluk were benefited by the Upper Bhadra Project.

There was no doubt that the people Sira taluk were suffering a lot due to lack of drinking water. All the hoblis in Sira taluk are facing water scarcity.

Under this backdrop, when the K C Reddy Committee submitted a report on the Bhadra Project, the people of Sira taluk had a lot of expectations in this regard.

Reddy Committee

The Swamiji had urged the Government to implement the recommendations of the Reddy Committee, in order to solve the drinking water crisis prevailing in Sira and Pavagada taluks, otherwise, the people would organise an agitation, he had threatened.

Also, when Chief Minster H D Kumaraswamy, during his recent visit to Sira taluk, had announced that the Upper Bhadra Project would be implemented.

However, the only fear of the people was, the announcement should not remain as mere assurance. There has been no administrative sanction of the project, though the media reports claim that the CM had given the administrative sanction. This was indeed misleading the people.

However, it should not be forgotten that the amount released by the Government is being utilised for the modernisation of Bhadra canals, which come in Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Malnad regions.

Also, the administrative sanction and tender process is only for the modernisation of the Bhadra project, while, the adminsitrative sanction of the comprehensive Upper Bhadra Project, remained where it was.

Administrative nod

As per the information received, the memorandum stated that, so far, the entire project had not got administrative nod, while, even Dr Nanjundappa Committee report had stated that Sira, Pavagada came under the most backward taluks in the State.

The CM was informed about the problems faced by the people of this region and had threatened that they would intensify their agitation, if their demands were not met with.

In the first phase of the Upper Bhadra Project, there was a need for Tumkur branch canal, and utilise the total 19 TMC of water, so that Sira taluk is benefited by this. A minimum of three lakh acres of areas can be irrigated with this.

According to experts, if the Tumkur branch canal was constructed, then, water can be naturally flowed from Ajjampura to Kaduru to Hosadurga to Chikkanayakanahalli to Sira taluks. The Government was not thinking on these lines, the memorandum stated.

Thus, all the farmers and the people who were concerned about the water problem, should take a padayathra to Bangalore. And if the Swamiji lead the protest, perhaps the Government would be impressed to implement the project, the delegation stated.