Karnataka delegation seek Centre’s intervention in river issue

New Delhi :A delegation of BJP MPs and MLAs from Karnataka today sought the Centre’s intervention in amicably settling the issue of utilising 7.56 TMC of water in Mahadayi river.

The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal was setup to settle dispute in the inter-state river between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The delegation including Union Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises G M Siddeshwara, former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Karnataka BJP president Pralhad Joshi met Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and submitted a memorandum.

In the memorandum, the delegation said that the Government of Goa was “objecting” to the diversion of water for a drinking water scheme of 7.56 TMC.

In the meantime, there has been a hue and cry for water due to a drought situation in Karnataka and people from the region have come on streets and aggressively agitating against the delay in implementing this project, it added.

It is also understood going by the slow process in Tribunal, it may take more time for final adjudication, the delegation claimed in the memorandum.

The delegation appealed to the Union Water Resources Minister to explore the possibility of settling the interim issue of utilising 7.56 TMC of water in Mahadayi amicably out of Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal, pending the final adjudication of matter of sharing the waters.

PTI