Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Work on water diversion project within legal framework: Minister

Staff Correspondent

`Government has filed a caveat petition in the Supreme Court'

K.S. Eshwarappa

HUBLI: Minister for Water Resources K.S. Eshwarappa has clarified that the Government is taking up work on the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project within the legal framework.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday with Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj S. Horatti and Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar and MLAs of the region, Mr. Eshwarappa said the Government had filed a caveat in the Supreme Court with regard to the project.

The Minister said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa would perform the bhoomi puja of the project on September 22 at Kanakumbi in Khanapur taluk of Belgaum district. He said of the 4.8-km canal, 4.4 km fell in the non-forest area and the Government would be initially taking up work in the non-forest area only.

Only 0.4 km of the project fell under the forest area, where the Government was not taking up any work, he said.

Discussion

To a query, he said the Government had decided to discuss the issue of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project with all political parties before taking a decision on starting work.

The Minister criticised the Goa Government for unnecessarily creating hurdles for the project, which was intended to use the State's rightful share of water.

He said the project aimed at using 7.5 tmcft of water for providing drinking water to several villages in the Malaprabha command area and the twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad.

MLAs P.C. Gaddigowdar, S.I. Chikkanagoudar, R.B. Shiriyannavar, C.C. Patil and MLC Basavaraj Bommai were present.

Alternative arrangements

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Basavaraj Horatti said the department had taken steps for making alternative arrangements for students of 1,416 schools being derecognised.

He said the department would initiate action against other schools that had violated the language policy.

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Work on water diversion project within legal framework: Minister

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