Mahadayi agitators' meet in B'luru on Dec 15

To decide about the next course of Mahadayi agitation and also to discuss about various other problems haunting North Karnataka region, Kalasa-Banduri Malaprabha Jodana Yuva Horata Kendra Samithi and other organisations involved in the agitation have given a call for members of all pro-Kannada, pro-farmer and other organisations supporting the agitation to attend a meeting to be held at Town Hall in Bengaluru on December 15.

Samithi President Vijay Kulkarni told media persons here on Monday that all political parties are equally responsible for not yet diverting water from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha river, though a continuous agitation is going on in the region.

After the meeting to be held in Bengaluru, a massive convention would be organised in Hubballi, he said.

Mahadayi agitator Vikas Soppin noted that State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa's assurance to resolve the issue through talks and get water from Kalasa-Banduri streams to Malaprabha river has brought a hope, but he should not create confusion by not involving the State Government in this issue. Both ruling and opposition parties in the State should join hands to resolve the dispute through talks, he said.

Though Maharashtra had earlier extended support to the cause of Karnataka, its argument before the Mahadayi Tribunal is complementary to Goa's argument. Karnataka government should strongly oppose the act of Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni who is arguing in favour of Goa, while an application to continue Kalasa-Banduri canal work in forest area should also be filed, he said.

Issues like implementation of Dr Nanjundappa report and Hubballi-Ankola railway line project would also be discussed in the meeting to be held in Bengaluru, in which thousands of people from the region are expected to take part, he said.

Janasamanyara Vedike-Karnataka President Ayyappa stated that both the governments should issue gazette notifications with all details while resolving the dispute through talks.

A letter has already been written to Prime Minister Narendra to begin the ambitious river-linking project by diverting 7.56 TMC feet of water from Mahadayi basin (Kalasa, Nanduri streams) to Malaprabha river for drinking purpose, he added.

Amruth Ijari, and others were present.