Karnataka - Bijapur   

Govt. urged to expedite ongoing works

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR, JULY 28. The Janata Dal (United) has urged the Government to expedite the completion of works under the Upper Krishna Project to utilise the State's legitimate share of the Krishna waters fully.

Addressing the press conference here on Wednesday, the chief of party's district unit, M.H. Mahabari, and its secretary general, B.C. Kulkarni, said it was essential to evolve a comprehensive programme for the early completion of all on-going works.

By doing so, the State could prevent other riparian States from seeking a share in the waters impounded in the Alamatti and Narayanapur dams, they said.

Welcomed

Welcoming the Government's decision to reject Andhra Pradesh's demand for 50 tmcft of the Krishna waters, they said the chances of Andhra Pradesh pursuing the demand could not be ruled out.

Andhra Pradesh did not deserve any sympathy as a petition filed by it against increasing the height of the Alamatti Dam had caused delay in commissioning the Upper Krishna Project.

The State should evolve a concrete policy as far as the Krishna water dispute was concerned as the Union Government was all set to constitute a fresh tribunal to distribute surplus water in the river, they said.

They chided the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) members for not showing any interest in the protest programme organised by farmers, the BJP and their party over the issue.

It was an apolitical struggle and members of the ruling parties should joined hands for a cause.

They said members of the various political parties should close ranks and put up a united fight on issues involving the interests of the State.

`Opportunists'

Claiming that the leaders of coalition parties were opportunists, they said the Government was formed against the mandate of people. The two parties had indulged in criticising each other before the elections but had joined hands to grab power after the results were announced. The Congress had promised monetary benefits to unemployed youth but had now failed to keep its word.

Mr. Mahabari and Mr. Kulkarni criticised the S.M. Krishna dispensation and the N. Dharam Singh-led coalition Government for bungling over the issue of seat matrix related to admissions to professional colleges. As a result of this, the future of a large number of meritorious students had become uncertain. Measures, including legislation, had to be taken to set right the matter, they said. They said the coalition parties had promised formation of new taluks in their manifestos but the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who held the Finance portfolio, had failed to mention it in the Budget. There was little progress in creating infrastructure for the proposed five new taluks in the district (Bableshwar, Nidagundi, Devarahipparagi, Talikot and

Chadchan). The party would agitate if the Government failed to allocate enough funds for this.

Crop insurance

The Vice-President of the district Janata Dal(U), M.S. Rudragoudar, urged the Government to pay dues of crop insurance premiums to farmers. The non-payment of premiums on the part of the Government had resulted in farmers not getting crop insurance benefits, he said.

Criticising Mr. Siddaramaiah for his statement that composite interest had been waived on loans, he said there was no such practice in the financial institutions of the cooperative sector. Composite interest was levied only in commercial banks and that too in case of default. Hence, farmers would not benefit much from this, he said.

Reservation

Referring to Andhra Pradesh's move to provide five per cent reservation to Muslims in recruitment and education, Mr. Kulkarni said the Congress regime had done that to consolidate its vote bank. The motive was not genuine and such a measure would divide society on the lines of religion. The party was of the opinion that the poor from all castes and religions be given reservation facilities.

Mr. Mahabari released a list of district executive and office-bearers of the taluk level units of the party.

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