All-party Karnataka delegation to meet PM on river row with Goa

An all-party delegation from Karnataka will once again meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in resolving the inter-state Mahadayi river dispute, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said today.

The Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday had adopted a  resolution seeking the Prime Minister's intervention amid  protests by opposition BJP members.

Siddaramaiah today held a meeting of representatives of political parties and farmers to discuss the future course of action on the issue that has put Karnataka and Goa at loggerheads.

Referring to the Assembly resolution, he said, "We will soon fix a date for meeting with Prime Minister after communicating with his office. On the issue of state's water, border and language, we have all worked together to provide justice to our people keeping our political differences aside."

"I'm sure that we will all work together to find solution to Kalasa-Banduri issue and help in providing drinking water to our people," he said.

Siddaramaiah also requested members of Parliament from the state to take up the task of convincing the Prime Minister on priority.

Union Ministers Ananth Kumar, Sadananda Gowda, Siddeshwara and BJP national vice president B S Yeddyurappa were part of the meeting.

Pointing out that waiting for the tribunal order and out of court settlement of the issue with the intervention of PM were the only options to solve the issue, the Chief Minister said the tribunal route will take a lot of time.

Parts of north Karnataka are seeing protests demanding  implementation of Kalasa-Banduri canal project, over which the  state government has locked horns with Goa.

The Kalasa-Banduri Nala (diversion) project, which will utilise 7.56 tmcft of water from the inter-state Mahadayi  river, is being undertaken by Karnataka to improve drinking  water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag.

It involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, in order to divert 7.56 TMC to Malaprabha river which adheres to the drinking water needs of the twin cities.

Siddarmaiah had earlier too led a delegation to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention by calling a meeting of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which did not turn out to be fruitful.

Goa government has rejected Karnataka's attempt for out of court settlement of the dispute stating that the people of the state felt it was more prudent to settle the dispute through the tribunal.

Siddaramaiah, during the meeting today, also announced  that all cases against farmers during Kalasa-Banduri protest  will be withdrawn.