JOIN USPro-Ettinahole stand draws criticism
The decision of the State government to implement the Ettinahole project to provide drinking water to the dryland districts has drawn severe criticism and objection by activists demanding implementation of the Paramashivaiah Report.
Yet, in what is a kind of revelation, the citizens of the district themselves are analysing the decision as an outcome of failure on the part of the various permanent irrigation agitation committees to pressurise the government effectively in favour of implementing the Report instead in the dryland districts including Kolar and Chikkaballapur.
The residents of the district have no doubt expressed disappointment that a decade-long fight to urge the government to go-ahead with the report submitted by water expert G S Paramashivaiah and come up with a project on its basis has all come to nought. They have accused the State government of taking undue interest in the Ettinahole project and totally ignoring the Paramashivaiah Report.
In addition, however, some of the residents in the districts feel the fact that the meeting venues of the committees were limited to Chikkaballapur city was an important factor in the demand failing.
“The meetings were never held in any other taluks. Also, all plans and ideas were discussed only among the leaders of parties and organisations, never seeping down to the common man's level,” they said and added that the lack of an organised fight and involvement of citizens resulted in the government not taking the agitation seriously.
“The State government declared that it will go ahead with implementation of the Ettinahole project. Yet, this did not result in any rebellion or protest in the district. The permanent irrigation agitation committee has expressed neither its view nor objection to the decision clearly. How then would the Paramashivaiah Report be implemented?” ask the citizens.
Fighters’ view
Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda had assured that a meeting, involving people's representatives, farmer leaders and authorities from various departments concerned, would be held between February 10 and 20, after the Assembly meeting.
The matter of which would be a more preferable project to take up- the Ettinahole project or the Paramashivaiah Report- would be discussed at the meeting.
The District In-charge Minister A Narayanaswamy too had concurred on the claim, adding that the hopes of the people of the district would not be washed away.
The State government, however, had called a meeting suddenly, and, giving no clue or opportunity for the residents of the district to debate the issue, had taken a decision overnight. The farmer leaders all over Chikkaballapur district are questioning the propriety of such a sudden decision.
The legislators too are fuming over a denial to speak representing the Kolar-Chikkaballapur districts before going in favour of Ettinahole project implementation.
Leaders of the irrigation agitation committees reminisced the support they got from all quarters when they undertook a procession from the undivided Kolar district all the way till Bangalore in 2003.
“The government too had shown an inclination towards implementing the Paramashivaiah Report, as a result of the struggle. Now, the U-turn it has taken means a great denial of justice to the people of both districts,” they added.