Mahadayi: Farmers demand all-party meet

Hubballi: Thousands of farmers, who converged in Nargund to celebrate the verdict of the Mahadayi tribunal and felicitate the agitators, including police officials and seers who led the movement,  urged the government on Friday  to call for all-party meeting to discuss the utilisation of the 5.4 tmc of water allocated by it to the state.

 “The tribunal’s verdict is a victory for the farmers. But we will not relent until we get our due. We will stage a dharna in front of Vidhan Soudha if immediate steps are not taken to use the Mahadayi water. All political parties should join hands at least now for early use of the water allotted to us by the tribunal,” said Raitha Sene president, Veeresh Sobaradmath, also urging the government to file an appeal in the Supreme Court after studying why Karnataka failed to get the entire 36 tmc water it wanted from the river and advised the farmers too to approach the court if it did not act.

Other farmer leaders suggested that  minister D K Shivakumar should prepare a comprehensive plan on utilisation of the water after consulting former water resources ministers, Basavaraj Bommai, M B Patil and H K Patil and demanded the government pay compensation  to the families of the 10 farmers, who  died in protests for the Mahadayi waters three years ago. 

Meanwhile, Goa has already filed a disobedience petition contending that Karnataka started diverting water through canals in  Kalasa village on the day of the final award despite an injunction given by the tribunal. It has demanded the arrest of  Karnataka’s officials for violating  the tribunal’s orders and attachment of its properties.