Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Water supply is still a major issue District profile: Dharwad

DHARWAD: Proper drinking water supply for Hubli-Dharwad, implementation of Kalasa Banduri Nala Project, infrastructure development, damages caused by Benni Halla in spate during rainy season, adequate compensation to the people who will be displaced by the proposed expansion of Hubli airport and crop loss due to unseasonable rain. These are some of the key issues that are likely to be raised in Dharwad district during the coming elections to the State Assembly.

Although Hubli-Dharwad has to its credit the pilot project of 24X7 water supply scheme, which has been implemented in eight wards of the twin cities, it has at the same time a serious water supply problem in the remaining 63 wards. Benni Halla still continues to damage crops during rainy season, while farmers, especially onion growers, face the problem of decrease in prices.

In spite of being a district which has given two Leaders of Opposition (S.R. Bommai and Jagadish Shettar) and a Chief Minister (S.R. Bommai), Dharwad has failed to get its due with regard to infrastructure related projects mainly because of lack strong political will power.

Delimitation has resulted in one general Assembly constituency becoming reserved (SC) in the district, which has seven constituencies with 11,80,755 voters.

Delimitation has not led to creation or deletion of a new Assembly segments in the district but has changed the structure of the constituencies and there is a change in the names of the four constituencies also. Dharwad City and Rural, Hubli City and Rural constituencies have been renamed as Hubli-Dharwad West, Dharwad, Hubli-Dharwad East and Hubli-Dharwad Central.

Owing to the creation of a reserved constituency, the former Minister Jabbar Khan Honnalli has lost his constituency and the changed composition of two constituencies has resulted in MLAs in the dissolved Assembly Vinay Kulkarni, S.R. Morey fighting for a particular segment mainly because certain pockets, which hitherto played a major role in their election, have now been brought under a different constituency.

The changed demography of constituencies has led to stiff competition for ticket among leaders, especially in the Congress, and some have already raised banner of revolt in Bharatiya Janata Party. Meanwhile with Hubli-Dharwad East becoming reserved constituency, second rung Dalit leaders in all the parties have been provided an opportunity to come to the forefront.

This time parties are a divided house with second rung leaders openly raising the banner of revolt and they are likely to upset the party’s calculations if conciliation steps are not taken.

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