Council sees heated exchange on delay in UKP stage 3

Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol said on Wednesday that the government would make all efforts to resolve the legal tangles involving the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) stage III, before completing its term in 2023.

This came amid protests from members in the Council over the inordinate delay in the implementation of the project.

The minister’s assurance came even as leader of the Opposition S R Patil threatened to launch a padayatra and go on a hunger strike, if the government did not implement the project soon.

“Since the project involves interstate disputes and the matter is also being heard by the Supreme Court, I cannot say much. However, I will say that the government will go 10 steps ahead before the term is over. We have already met CWC officials and Union Jal Shakti Minister, seeking gazette notification for the project at the earliest. We are also in talks with the Maharashtra government,” Karjol said.

The government needs to acquire about 1.34 lakh acres of land, apart from rehabilitating and relocating 20 villages which will be affected because of the project, he added.

Members cutting across party lines demanded that the government begin the implementation at the earliest.

Patil pointed out that even though the Krishna tribunal award was given in December 2010, the project was yet to take off.

“This 130 tmc ft of water, accorded in the tribunal verdict, will irrigate close to 15 lakh acres in North Karnataka region. This project is key to overcoming regional imbalance,” he said.