Deve Gowda meets PM Modi over Mahadayi water dispute

Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to convene a meeting of the chief ministers of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra to work out a settlement out the court in the Mahadayi river water-sharing case.

Gowda, who met Modi at his Parliament House office, apprised him of the severe drought gripping the 26 taluks in North Karnataka and sought his intervention to help the State get at least 7 tmc feet of water from Mahadayi.

Emerging from the meeting, Gowda told reporters he had explained to the prime minister the prevailing drought situation in North Karnataka and requested him to take steps to provide water to the parched areas on humanitarian grounds.

‘No assurance given’
“Though the prime minister gave me a patient hearing, he did not give me any assurance. However, I am confident the PM will take immediate steps to address the matter,” Gowda said.

Even while the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal hears the water-sharing dispute between the three states, the Centre can try and convince the neighbouring states to allow Karnataka to draw some water as a temporary arrangement, he said.