Navalgund shuts down for Kalasa project

HUBBALLI: The three-month old agitation in support of Kalasa-Banduri irrigation project and use of water of the river Mahadayi could well take a violent turn again in the Mumbai-Karnataka region.

Upset with the attitude of leaders of all political parties, who are engaged in mud-slinging without finding a  solution to the problem, farmers have decided to barge into the site of Kalasa-Banduri project at Kanakumbi village in Belagavi district on October 10.

They have resolved to demolish the temporary structure and wall built by the government to stop usage of water. The structure was built as per the directions of Mahadayi tribunal until it pronounced its verdict on sharing of water by Karnataka and Goa.

The farmers observed yet another bandh in Navalgund town on Saturday to pressure  the government to resolve the issue. It was total with all business establishments remaining closed voluntarily. The protesters took a decision to destroy the wall during the bandh. Thousands of farmers from nine taluks of Dharwad, Gadag Belagavi and Bagalkot would converge on Hubballi before laying siege to the project site on October 10. Leaders of Kannada organisations from Bengaluru would also take part in the protest. This has prompted the state government to beef up security at the project site by deploying military force. “Political parties are not taking responsibility to resolve the water dispute through talks except merely expressing their support to the movement. We have launched awareness campaign to unite more people to destroy the temporary structure at project site. Around one lakh farmers are expected to take part while laying siege to the site", Kalasa-Banduri Nala Horata Samiti president Vijay Kulkarni said.

Meanwhile, a series of bandhs called over sharing water of the river Mahadayi row has affected the lives of people in Nargund and Navalgund since last two months. Movement of vehicles on Hubballi-Bijapur national highway has come to a grinding halt, forcing buses to ply on alternative routes. “Bandhs have been causing huge loss to the region and common people are worst affected. We have no other option, but to support it as parties are trying to gaining political mileage over Mahadayi row", said Vasant Ladwa, president of Hubballi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.