Belagavi: The Karnataka Assembly adopted an unanimous resolution at the end of its two- day debate on the Mahadayi river dispute, on Thursday, seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in resolving it.
Moving the resolution in the House, Water Resources Minister, M. B. Patil, recalled the water dispute tribunal had recently called for effort to resolve it outside its purview. “This is the right time to seek Mr Modi’s intervention. We are open to an out-of-the-court settlement on the issue,” he added.
Maintaining that the government was making all effort to get the state’s share of water from the Mahadayi river basin and protect the interests of its people, he alleged that Union Water Resources Minister, Uma Bharti’s “obsession” with the Ken-Betwa river linking project was coming in the way of finding an early solution to the dispute.
“The Union minister is giving top priority to the Ken-Betwa project, which has dominated all the Jal Manthan meetings convened by the water resources ministry to discuss inter-state river water issues. I don’t understand why other projects, including the Mahadayi, are not given priority when the people of North Karnataka continue to suffer for want of water,” he said.
Earlier the discussion on the issue saw Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and BJP leaders accusing each other of not doing enough to resolve the river row with neighbouring Goa.
While Mr Siddaramaiah came down hard on BJP leaders for politicising the dispute by claiming they could resolve it within 24 hours if they came to power in 2018, deputy leader of the opposition, R. Ashok targeted the Congress, saying it must do more to persuade its leaders in Goa to consider Karnataka’s point of view and release its share of the river water. With members of both parties trading charges, the House was plunged into pandemonium, forcing the Speaker to adjourn it for half-an hour before the resolution was finally adopted and passed.
