Karnataka-Goa water war intensifies

Karnataka-Goa water war intensifies
The Hindu.com

JAISHANKAR JAYARAMIAH
Posted online: Monday, August 14, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

BANGALORE: The Centre’s delay in taking a final decision on the Kalasa-Banduri Nala water project has forced Karnataka to go ahead with it, with or without central nod. The state will start work on the project on October 2. However, political observers feel the Centre should immediately intervene in the matter to avoid unnecessary tension in the Karnataka-Goa border region.
Karnataka had designed the project in 2000 to divert 7.56 tmc of water from Kalasa and Banduri tributaries of Mahadayi river to Malaprabha reservoir to meet drinking water needs in northern Karnataka. The river originates in Karnataka and passes through Maharasthra and Goa and finally flows into the Arabian Sea. The Centre gave in-principle clearance to the project in April 2002. Subsequently, in September, the water resources ministry kept the clearance in abeyance following objections from Goa, which claimed that Mahadayi was a deficit basin and water diversion would impact the environment.

Talking to FE, Malaprabha Farmers Union president, Basavaraj S Bommai, said the report of the Central Water Commission showed that the yield in Mahadayi was 200 tmc. Karnataka’s share is estimated at 45 tmc, of which the state is seeking only 7.5 tmc for drinking water purposes. But due to objections from Goa, the entire 200 tmc is being wasted by allowing it to flow into the sea.

The JD(S)-BJP coalition government believes the Centre would not object when it starts project work since it is essentially a drinking water project for north Karnataka.

The government’s action comes in the wake of its plan to make Hubli-Dharwad the IT hub of north Karnataka. Acute water shortage in the Hubli-Dharwad area is threatening its industrial prospects.

The issue became sensitive after farmers of Malaprabha command area set a month’s deadline for the state to start the project. The farmers, supported by the state’s powerful seers from various Hindu mutts, have threatened to take up construction work on their own if the government delays.

Meanwhile, Goa has requested the Prime Minister to restrain Karnataka from proceeding. If Karnataka is not restrained, Goa may approach the apex court seeking directions for staying the project and the setting up of a tribunal.

After One year on this blog !!!

After One year on this blog !!!

From Moderator's desk

Firstly heartly wishes for the all the readers of this blog who have made this blog a success. It has been a great journey along the year. I have had a quite a good response at this blog, the site meter shows 2886 visitors as of now today. So it is growing day by day and hope it continous to do so.

This is first blog which gives the news to the people of dharwad-hubli.I hope to bring lot more stories and pictures from time to time.

Thank you and have a nice day.

Praveen Dodamani

‘Bendre Trust developing into a centre of learning’

‘Bendre Trust developing into a centre of learning’
The Newindpress.com

Saturday August 12 2006 12:00 IST

DHARWAD: The Bendre National Trust is slowly developing into a centre of learning with the government aid and the people’s participation, said M S Srikar, Deputy Commissioner and member secretary of the Trust.

He was speaking at a function arranged at the Bendre Bhavan in connection with the donation of an LCD projector to the Trust by the Karntaka Vikas Grameena Bank here on Thursday.

He informed that the government had released a sum of Rs 5 lakh to the Trust this year, and the amount would be fruitfully utilised. Lauding the bank for its gesture to the literary world, the Deputy Commissioner hoped that the tendency to rush to the help of the needy would be nurtured by the society.

Handing over the projecter to the Trust, General Manager of the Bank I T Sethuraman said that the Bank felt proud to be a partner in bringing the famous poets and writers closer to the people through the documentaries that could be viewed with the aid of the LCD. In this Suvarna Karntaka year, the bank had plans to host several social and cultural progammes at various places in its area of operation, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, former MLA Chandrakant Bellad praised the bank for its numerous social work, hoping at the same time that this would be a source of inspiration for others to emulate.

Presiding over the function, Dr M M Kalburgi, chairman of the trust, said that the trust was undertaking numerous activities, bringing it closer to the people. It has been recognised by the Hampi University and interested students could now enroll for acquiring a doctorate.

Senior Manager Shrinivas Wadappi welcomed, PRO Ullas Gunaga compered and Dr Shyamsundar Bidarkundi proposed a vote of thanks.

`State will go ahead with Kalasa-Banduri Nala project'

`State will go ahead with Kalasa-Banduri Nala project'
The Hindu.com

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The State will go ahead with the construction of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala diversion project on schedule from October 2, whether or not the Centre clears it.

Water Resources Minister K.S. Eshwarappa expressed the determination of the State to go ahead with the Rs.100-crore project a day after an all-party delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh submitted a memorandum on the project.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, he said the delegation led by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy urged Dr. Singh to advise Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz to withdraw the order staying the clearance given for the project. It envisaged diversion of 7.56 tmcft of water from the Mahadayi to the Malaprabha to meet the drinking water requirements of Hubli-Dharwad and some of the districts of north Karnataka. Dr. Singh had assured the delegation that he would discuss the issue with the Goa Government.

The Centre was dragging its feet on withdrawing the order staying the in-principle clearance for the project. Goa had also pleaded for referring the dispute to a tribunal under the provisions of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act.

He said injustice had been meted out to the State by successive governments at the Centre, including the BJP-led Vajpayee Government.

The former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam would be invited to dedicate the Almatti dam to the nation. To mark the occasion, a grand function would be organised at the dam site on August 21, he said.