The Hindu : Karnataka / Hubli News : Water for irrigation is the key poll issue

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Saturday, Apr 10, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Hubli

Water for irrigation is the key poll issue

By Our Special Correspondent

HUBLI, APRIL 9. Water for irrigation is expected to be the focal point of electioneering in at least two of the Assembly constituencies, Nargund and Navalgund, in Gadag and Dharwad districts for the elections. It will also have a say in the other neighbouring constituencies as well.

This follows the entry of two of the activists of the Kalasa Bandori Nullah Action Committee, B.V. Somapur, committee president, and N.H. Konareddy, into the fray in Nargund and Navalgund constituencies, respectively.

Of course, both are contesting on the Janata Dal (S) ticket. And the two members of the dissolved Assembly representing the two constituencies who are expected to face the heat are B.R. Yavagal (Nargund) and K.N. Gaddi (Navalgund), Minister of State for Forests and in charge of the district.

Kalasa and Bandori Nullah are two tributaries of the west-flowing inter-State river, Mahadayi, the diversion of whose waters will firm up the storage level in the Malaprabha Reservoir. The reservoir is facing shortage of nearly 10 tmcft of water for irrigation in the districts of Belgaum, Bagalkot, Dharwad and Gadag, besides water for drinking in Hubli-Dharwad. The action committee has been agitating for the early implementation of the projects.

If things had gone as scheduled, neither the Congress nor the BJP would have had any occasion to feel embarrassed. It would have been a feather in the cap for the Congress in the State, and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre would have considered it as a crowning achievement, in view of their roles in the implementation of the projects. But the projects have been unceremoniously grounded.

Though the issue of firming up the storage level of Malaprabha from the Mahadayi has been pending for long, it got impetus only when H.K. Patil became the Minister for Water Resources. He hit upon the idea of tapping the tributaries for diverting water only to overcome the objections raised by Goa. The State Government lost no time in getting the two projects sanctioned for Rs. 100 crores. It also got the "in principle" clearance from the Union Ministry of Water Resources.

The Centre, however, withdrew the "in principle" clearance, which came as a surprise to everyone here. It also sat over the plea for the appointment of the tribunal for determining the State's share in the Mahadayi waters. Now it has become embarrassing for the State Government in the face of its failure to show political will in fulfilling the aspirations of the people who have been waiting for the facility for long.

On the other hand, the BJP leadership at the Centre buckled under pressure of its BJP-led Goa Government in withdrawing the "in principle" clearance to the State.

The BJP leadership in the State either ignored the issue or lacked clout with New Delhi to convince it of the need for the projects.

As a matter of fact, the Leader of the Opposition in the dissolved House, Jagadish Shettar, and the President of the state unit, H.N. Ananth Kumar, hauled up the State Government for its indifference, while glossing over the unhelpful behaviour of the party-led Union Government in the matter.

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Water for irrigation is the key poll issue