GULBARGA: Jewargi Taluk Raitha Horata Samiti will launch an agitation on Sunday to pressure the State Government to start work on the Mallabhadi lift irrigation scheme in the Upper Krishna Project, which will irrigate over 1.2 lakh acres of land in Jewargi, Shahapur and Surpur taluks.

Disclosing this to presspersons here on Saturday, president of the samiti Kedarlingaiah Hiremath said farmers in 40 villages in Jewargi taluk will begin a week-long relay hunger strike in front of the tahsildar's office in Jewargi on Sunday, which will coincide with Gandhi Jayanti.

The heads of all mutts in Jewargi taluk, who have supported the agitation launched by the samiti, will start an indefinite hunger strike along with farmers from October 10 in Jewargi town, Mr. Hiremath said and added that the agitation will not be withdrawn till the Government approves the project.

Mr. Hiremath said over 15 swamijis of different mutts in Jewargi taluk will participate in the indefinite hunger strike from October 10. It will be preceded by a farmers' rally and a procession in Jewargi town on the same day.

Support

Mr. Hiremath said the heads of mutts in several parts of the State, including the Chitradurga Bruhanmutt seer Sri Murugarajendra Sharanaru, Gadag Tontada Mutt seer Siddalinga Swami, Siddeshwara swamiji of Bijapur, Gangadhara Swami of Abbe Tumkur Mutt in Yadgir taluk, Mahanta Shivacharya of Sulpul Mutt, and Sri Murugarajendra Swami of Jidga Mutt have extended their support to the agitation.

He said farmers in Jewargi taluk have decided to launch the struggle as a last resort to get their demand fulfilled. He noted that the Mallabadi lift irrigation scheme is designed to lift water from the Narayanpur left bank canal and provide irrigation in 22 villages in Shahapur and Surpur taluks and 40 villages in Jewargi taluk.

Mr. Hiremath said farmers have been demanding the implementation of the scheme since the past seven years, and have held several rounds of discussions with Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and officials of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd., who had worked out the project estimate initially. But so far, the Government had not shown any interest in taking up the work, he alleged.

He said a technical committee of the Water Resources Department has given its approval to take up the project. Yet, the Government is yet to arrive at a decision on the project.

He said the Chief Minister, who represents Jewargi in the Legislative Assembly, should take personal interest in the project. According to an estimate, the cost of the project is likely to be Rs. 500 crores, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail