Speaking at a meeting of the Permanent Irrigation Action Committee on Sunday he suggested that the State government should borrow loan from the World Bank for the implementation of the scheme, as envisaged by water expert Paramashivaiah.
In order to draw the attention of the Central and the State government towards the need for the implementation of the permanent irrigation scheme, a huge rally will be held on April 21 , added the legislator.
More than 10,000 people are expected to participate in the rally. After the completion of the rally a rasta roko will be staged on National Highway 7, said K P Bachegowda.
A spirit of struggle should be kindled in each and every village. People from all villages in the taluk should participate in the struggle and should not give up the struggle until permanent irrigation facility is a reality, explained Bachegowda.
Insensitive
Also speaking at the meeting Director of Devaraj Urs Medical College G H Nagaraj said the successive governments have been insensitive towards the three-decade long struggle for permanent irrigation.
Thus, the need of the hour is to lay thrust on both the Central and the State government for the implementation of Paramashivaiah report, he added.
Due to lack of irrigation in the district several farmers have sold their lands and numerous others have given up agriculture. The politicians should overcome differences and address the grievances of the farming community in the region, Nagaraj observed.
“The implementation of permanent irrigation scheme is of utmost importance in the region as the groundwater table is depleting due to reckless sand mining, low rainfall and lack of efforts to de-silt the tanks,” said farmers’ leader Yaluvahalli N Ramesh.
Permanent irrigation scheme can be a reality only through continual struggle, he said. The participation of women in the struggle is of utmost importance, said Samatha Women Forum president Sushma Srinivas.
Also, speaking at the meeting CPI (M) senior leader S Lakshmanaiah said the successive governments have been unresponsive to memoranda submitted by the people. Thus, struggle seems to be the only weapon to lay pressure on the government.
Moreover, the struggle can be intensified by the participation of youth in large numbers, he added.