An all-party delegation from Karnataka will once again meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in resolving the inter-state Mahadayi river dispute, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said today.
The Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday had adopted a resolution seeking the Prime Minister's intervention amid protests by opposition BJP members.
Siddaramaiah today held a meeting of representatives of political parties and farmers to discuss the future course of action on the issue that has put Karnataka and Goa at loggerheads.
Referring to the Assembly resolution, he said, "We will soon fix a date for meeting with Prime Minister after communicating with his office. On the issue of state'swater, border and language, we have all worked together to provide justice to our people keeping our political differences aside."
"I'm sure that we will all work together to find solution to Kalasa-Banduri issue and help in providing drinking water to our people," he said.
Siddaramaiah also requested members of Parliament from the state to take up the task of convincing the Prime Ministeron priority.
Union Ministers Ananth Kumar, Sadananda Gowda, Siddeshwara and BJP national vice president B S Yeddyurappa were part of the meeting.
Pointing out that waiting for the tribunal order andout of court settlement of the issue with the intervention of PM were the only options to solve the issue, theChief Minister said the tribunalroute will take a lot of time.
Parts of north Karnataka are seeing protests demanding implementation of Kalasa-Banduri canal project, over which the state government has locked horns with Goa.
The Kalasa-Banduri Nala (diversion) project, which will utilise 7.56 tmcft of water from the inter-state Mahadayi river, is being undertaken by Karnataka to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag.
It involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, in order to divert 7.56 TMC to Malaprabha river which adheres to the drinking water needs of the twin cities.
Siddarmaiah had earlier too led a delegation to thePrime Minister seeking his intervention by calling a meetingof Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which did not turn out tobe fruitful.
Goa government has rejected Karnataka's attempt forout of court settlement of the dispute stating that the peopleof the state felt it was more prudent to settle the dispute through the tribunal.
Siddaramaiah, during the meeting today, also announced that all cases against farmers during Kalasa-Banduri protest will be withdrawn.
