The Hindu : Front Page : Talks on Kalasa-Banduri Nala project row fail

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Wednesday, Apr 05, 2006

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Talks on Kalasa-Banduri Nala project row fail

Special Correspondent

Goa Government insists on referring the issue to a tribunal

NEW DELHI: A high-level meeting convened by Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz on Tuesday to resolve the imbroglio over the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, which seeks to divert 7.5 tmcft of water from the Mahadayi to meet the drinking water needs of north Karnataka, failed after the Goa Government refused to give up its opposition, and instead demanded that the issue be referred to a tribunal for a solution.

The meeting had been convened by Mr. Soz on the direction of the Prime Minister's Office and was attended by the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that there was still hope as the Union Water Resource Minister had assured that he would have a separate meeting with the Goa Chief Minister and come out with a decision in 15 days. "The Union Minister asked for 15 days to arrive at a decision. We have waited patiently for so long. We will wait patiently for 15 more days," he said

The project to divert water from Mahadayi river to north Karnataka was conceived in 2000. But the Goa Government objected to it soon after on the ground that it violated its rights over the river. In April 2002, the Ministry gave an in-principle clearance from the angle of availability of water for diversion. But five months later, in September, the Ministry kept this clearance in abeyance after Goa objected to it again.

Asked about the much-awaited expansion of his Ministry, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Ministry would be expanded after 15 days, after the end of the current session of the State legislature.

On the "Bharat Suraksha Yatra" of former BJP president L.K. Advani, Mr. Kumaraswamy declined to comment on the ground that it was the decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Janata Dal (Secular) had nothing to do with it. He asserted that there would be no law and order problem during the yatra.

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