Farmer-activists charge Moily with neglecting irrigation projects

Minister draws flak for preferring Ettinahole over Paramashivaiah Report

The agitation for water is likely to intensify in the coming days as various agitation committees in Chikkaballapur and Kolar are set to protest for the cause, following the visit of Minister Veerappa Moily to Bagepalli.

During his visit, he had made a statement that Ettinhole Project can be implemented in the district within 30 months as compared to the Paramashivaiah Report that would take 40 years for implementation.

On the one hand, Undivided Kolar District Permanent Irrigation Committee has been chalking out plans to get their demands fulfilled while on the other hand the District Permanent Irrigation Agitation Committee, is gearing up for protests.

The protesters accused the minister of failing to keep his promise that he made during elections of implementing the irrigation projects.

“In a public interaction before the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 the minister had promised to implement the permanent irrigation projects in the district within three years. But now he has placed Ettinahole project above the Paramashivaiah Report,” co-ordinator of the committee Anjaneya Reddy said at a press conference on Friday.

“Such statements by the minister has resulted in an utter disappointment among the people. This has exposed his true colours,” co-ordinator of the Undivided Kolar District Permanent Irrigation Agitation Committee leader G V Srirama Reddy said.

He said that the members of the agitation committee will protest without affiliating to any political party. A public awareness programme will be also be carried out to make people aware of the irrigation projects in the district.

Agitation sub-committees have been set up the eight districts by the Undivided Kolar District Permanent Irrigation Agitation Committee to fight for the cause of the people in the region.

A convention programme held in Tumkur recently was one of such initiatives.