Kharge seeks PM intervention to resolve Mahadayi water issue

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge today raised in the Lok Sabha the issue of Mahadayi river water dispute between Karnataka and Goa and sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Raising the matter during the Question Hour, Kharge said the nation is facing drought situation and drinking water problems.
Hubli in Karnataka is facing acute water problem, he said, adding Karnataka requires 7.56 tmcft of water from the Mahadayi river.
"Intervention of the Prime Minister is required to resolve the water problem. I request the Prime Minister to intervene," he said.
Karnataka, Kharge's home state, and Goa are locked in a dispute over diversion of Mahadayi river. Karnataka has planned 12 dams across the river. The dispute is being heard by the central government-appointed Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT).

Om Birla (BJP) raised the issue of thousands of labourers in Saudi Arabia who have lost their jobs and living in a bad situation.

"I request the government to talk to Saudi Arabian authorities on the matter," he said.
On this matter, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy said several members have raised this issue and he would take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs.
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (TRS) demanded the government should have a relook at an agreement on cotton reached at the recent WTO meeting.
He said the WTO agreement would impact cotton farmers particularly in the Telangana region as it is intended to remove the subsidies by January 2017.

"We need to relook at what we have negotiated in the WTO...I would urge the government to put in place a system to protect the interest of cotton farmers," he added.