Hubballi: Though protests for Mahadayi water have been going on for nearly a decade, it had remained merely symbolic till last month. But with drought engulfing the Mumbai-Karnataka region and farmers remaining jobless this year, the agitations have turned widespread and violent.
Lack of any farming activity has prompted farmers to converge in large numbers for rallies in Dharwad, Gadag and Bagalkot districts. Pontiffs from various maths, who have been sympathising with the families of farmers who have committed suicide, too have joined the protests.
At the centre of these protests is Nargund town, from where farmer leaders launched the agitation from July 21 to mark 35 years of the rebellion. The protests turned violent and several farmers were killed in the police firing.
But the state government has continued to ignore the protests, though they have continued for the last one month. Farmers are angry that the government has not treated the Mahadayi water issue on par with the Mekedatu project. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too failed to include it during his discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.
“The agitation escalated due to the lukewarm response by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was busy with the BBMP elections. The movement will turn more violent if the chief minister does not approach the neighbouring state to resolve the issue,” said Kalasa-Banduri Nala Horata Samiti president Vijay Kulkarni.
Though the NDA government, headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajapayee, gave the green signal to the project, it was stalled after the then BJP government in Goa objected to it. The UPA government, through its two terms, did not lift the stay as there was a BJP government in the state and Congress dispensation in Goa.
Mahadayi river originates in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district. Of its total length of 77 km, the river traverses 29 km through Karnataka and 52 km through Goa. Farmer leaders claim that Karnataka is entitled to 57 tmcft of water, of the total 200 tmcft of water flowing in the river.
The project involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri streams, the two tributaries of Mahadayi river to divert 7.56 tmc of water to Malaprabha river to resolve the drinking water scarcity. The project will benefit nine taluks of four districts in the Mumbai-Karnataka region.
But, the project has been on the backburner for decades. Though the Centre cleared it in 2002, it was stalled because of objections raised by the Goa government, which claimed that the projects on the river would affect its flora and fauna. The Centre has constituted a tribunal to resolve the issue, against the wishes of farmers in the state.
Bandh total in hubballi-dharwad
A bandh called by various organisations in Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities and several other towns was total on Wednesday with all business establishments ands schools and colleges closed for the day, demanding early implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project to resolve drinking scarcity in four districts of Mumbai-Karnataka region. Tension prevailed in the city as miscreants set on fire a government bus belonging to Goa and blocked the movement of vehicles on the national highway.
A meeting of all pontiffs of North Karnataka has been convened in Nargund on Thursday to chalk out the future strategy to protest against the apathy of the government in taking up the water project. The agitators set fire to tyres in various parts of the twin cities condemning failure of the state and central governments to find a solution to the Mahadayi dispute. Several political leaders, including Mr Basavaraj Horatti, took out processions in the city.
Tense situation continued in Nargund and Navalgund towns where sporadic incidents were reported over the last two days. Bus services to these towns have been suspended after two buses were set ablaze and many offices at the Mini Vidhan Soudha were set on fire over the last two days.
