Poet calls for simplicity in Dasara

Kanavi advocates national water policy based on international law

 Octogenarian poet Chennaveera Kanavi, who inaugurated the 406th Dasara festivities atop the Chamundi Hill by offering floral tributes to an idol of Chamundeshwari on Saturday, said Dasara or any other government programme should always be observed in a simple way, not just during years of crisis.

He was referring to the Cauvery crisis in South Karnataka and the floods in North Karnataka. The inauguration was held in a traditional way with thin attendance of people, unlike in previous years.

“Dasara, as a cultural festival, should be celebrated in all districts in their local flavours to propagate our culture. Just law and rules will not make people civilised, culture is a sure way for civilisation,” he said.

Speaking about the Cauvery and Mahadayi issues, he said, there is a need for a national water policy, based on the recent amendments to international law.

Urging the state government to enact the Anti-Superstition Act, he said, even though social justice, equity and secularism have been enshrined in the Constitution, they have failed to materialise. “Intolerance has resulted in the murder of scholar M M Kalburgi,” Kanavi said.

“Even though there are a few flaws in the draft of the National Education Policy-2016, the positive proposals are introduction of either mother tongue or the official state language in primary education and kindergarten in government schools. So, the state governments should take steps to make their respective official languages the medium of instruction in primary schools,” he said. Badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa and Paralympics gold medalist athlete Deepa Malik were felicitated on the occasion.

CM prays for solution to Cauvery crisis

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he prayed to Goddess Chamundeshwari for a solution to the Cauvery water crisis.Speaking at the function, he said he was not saying that the state government will not release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, as per the Supreme Court’s order, but there is no water in the dams to be released. Pointing out that the state has already abided by the Supreme Court’s order twice, he said he is duty-bound to safeguard the interests of the people of Karnataka.

“In the Cauvery basin, only 4 lakh acres out of the total 18 lakh acres of irrigated lands have come under cultivation due to the failure of monsoon. Now, release of water into canals has been stopped in the region and crops on 4 lakh acres will wither. While our priority is drinking water, Tamil Nadu is seeking water for samba crop,” he said.