BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to urge the Centre to clear all obstacles to the Kalasa-Banduri nala project.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Water Resources Minister K.S. Eshwarappa said the State Government had commenced work on Kalasa and Banduri nalas (tributaries of the Mahadayi) to divert 7.5 tmcft. of water from Mahadayi river to meet the drinking water requirement of the people of Dharwad, Gadag and Belgaum districts.

But the Centre had to clear the hurdles for execution of the project.

Earlier, the Union Government had kept in abeyance the clearance given for the project after Goa raised objections.

The Union Government's nod was required as the project covered 500 hectares of forestland.

The present work was confined to the non-forest area.

A delegation led by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy would go to New Delhi to urge the Union Ministers concerned to clear all obstacles coming in the way of the project, Mr. Eshwarappa said.

Meeting

The Minister held a meeting with irrigation expert K.C. Reddy and officials of the Law and Irrigation departments.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea made by Goa to direct the State to maintain status quo on the project.

The court also granted the Union Government two weeks for filing another affidavit on the issue.

Bypoll

On the byelection to the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency, Mr. Eshwarappa alleged that the Election Commission served the show-cause notice on the Chief Minister based on the charges made by the Congress.

There was no substance in the allegations made by that party, he claimed.

`Congress jittery'

Fearing that it might lose the byelection, the Congress had roped in Union Ministers such as M.H. Ambareesh, Oscar Fernandes and K.H. Muniyappa for the electoral campaign.

The caste arithmetic of the Congress would work against the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Minister said.

To a question, Mr. Eshwarappa said elections to the post of president of the State BJP would be held in the second week of December.

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