Kalasa-Banduri protest receives massive backing

Belagavi: Indefinite agitations being staged in Belagavi and Bailhongal for the past 30 days demanding the implementation of Kalasa-Banduri project have received a tremendous response in the last few days with political leaders and members from various organisations joining protesters.

Extending his support to the agitation, Karnataka Makkala Paksha president Ashok Kheny said a 12-member committee of experts will be formed to ascertain reasons that delayed the project and efforts will be made to find solutions to them.

Kannada leader Vatal Nagaraj who joined protesters at Bailhongal warned the government that a bloody revolution may take place in the event of further delay in implementation of the project. At a press conference in Belagavi, Mr Kheny said, the committee which comprises noted engineers and lawyers will submit its reports on conducting a factual survey of the project within the next one month and action would be taken based it. Kheny opined that all areas of north-Karnataka were suffering in various fields including irrigation and education sector. For the past 40 years, people in north-Karnataka are demanding the implementation of Upper Krishna Project, Mahadayi and Karanja without any result,'' he said. He accused the government of being serious only about projects relating to southern part of the state stating that the government issued a stern warning to Tamil Nadu when it came to sharing of Cauvery waters but it never took such a stand while resolving major problems of north-Karnataka. Many problems of the region remained unsolved due to government's indifference, he added.