Set up panel to solve Cauvery river row: Samithi

'State urged to announce Rs 25k compensation per acre'

Mandya, Sep 17, 2016, DHNS,

Sep 16 2016, 23:41 ist
updated: Sep 16 2016, 23:41 ist

Cauvery Raitha Hitharakshana Samithi, at a meeting held here on Friday, unanimously resolved to urge the state government to constitute a commission to find a permanent solution to the Cauvery River water issue, .

The meeting, chaired by the samiti president and former MP G Madegowda, near M Visvesvaraya statue in Mandya, urged the government to form a commission comprising experts in irrigation, law, technical and sociology among others.

The samithi demanded that cases filed against innocent people during Cauvery agitation be dropped. “As the state government has failed to provide water to the crops, it should announce a compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre,” the Samiti demanded.

The meeting also decided to continue Madegowda as its president and fight for the cause under his leadership. The samithi would be reconstituted and about 60% of youths will be included.

MP C S Puttaraju, MLAs N Chaluvarayaswamy, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, P M Narendraswamy and K S Puttannaiah, MLC K T Srikantegowda and former minister H T Krishnappa were present.

A few members, said to be supporters of former MLA K Annadani, who participated in the meeting expressed their displeasure at MLA Narendraswamy for not participating in the protests held since several days. However, MP Puttaraju intervened and advised not to rake up the issue, which could be discussed later.

BJP targeted
MLA N Cheluvarayaswamy took the opportunity to target BJP leaders for failing to facilitate a meeting between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the Cauvery issue. “Why are the Central ministers not responding to the Cauvery issue? While the state is burning over the issue, the BJP leaders are maintaining silence,” he complained.

The convention of the farmers of the Cauvery basin, scheduled for September 19, should be postponed, he suggested.

Ambareesh absent
Mandya MLA Ambareesh remained absent from the meeting organised by the samiti. Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council Marithibbegowda and MLAs D C Thammanna and K C Narayana Gowda too gave the meeting a skip.