State plans team to Centre to discuss Mahadayi project

Water Resources Minister M B Patil has assured farmers that a delegation would be taken to the Centre, with regard to the Mahadayi river linking project. The promise came at the round-table meeting of farmers, farmers’ organisations, pontiffs of various mutts and elected representatives in the city on Saturday.

The minister said that he would apprise the demands of the farmers to the chief minister and seek an appointment with the prime minister to discuss on fulfilling their demands.
A delegation comprising of leaders from all parties, including MLAs and MPs, pontiffs and farmers would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and impress upon him the urgent need to link the Mahadayi river with Malaprabha.

The prime minister will be urged to convene a meeting of all the three states namely Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra within one month and solve the issue amicably. Patil said the farmers are demanding release of 7.56 tmc water to meet their demands in Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri districts. However, this project envisages only drinking water supply to all the 13 taluks in the four districts and the water cannot be utilised for agriculture activities.

Hence, to execute lift irrigation projects to boost agriculture and help farmers, the State government has decided to file an interim application with the Mahadayi Tribunal, urging it to award an additional 7 tmc of water.  This interim application would be filed once the ongoing inter-linking of canals is completed, he added.

A large number of farmers are staging protest at Nargund in Gadag district for the last 16 days, demanding early implementation of the river linking project.