The Janata Dal (Secular), on Thursday, submitted a memorandum to the President of India through Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, seeking early resolution of long pending issues related to river water disputes.
Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy led a padayatra starting from the Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha to Raj Bhavan, seeking early sanctions and clearances for the construction of reservoir at Mekedatu on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border and gazette notification of the final awards of the Krishna and Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunals.
The party registered its protest against the recent direction of the Union jal shakti ministry to Karnataka government to consult the co-basin state Tamil Nadu in the matter of giving clearance to the long pending Mekedaatu project against the observations made by the Supreme Court.
"It is paradoxical on the part of the ministry to contend that approval by Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for preparation of the detail project report was a prerequisite because the CWMA is meant only to monitor and ensure that Karnataka releases the stipulated quota of water to Tamil Nadu in a normal year," pointed out the JD(S), and alleged that the ministry's decision was politically motivated though it was bound to give clearance to drinking water projects like Mekedatu on top priority.
The memorandum also urged the Centre to take immediate action to publish the final decision and order of the Krishna River Water Tribunal -2 (for distribution of surplus water), in the gazette.
"The tribunal, in its reply to GOI letter dated 25/8/2014, has made it clear that it would determine the share of the successor state of Telangana and the residual state of Andhra Pradesh as a result of the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh, without disturbing the project-wise allocation done for the other party states (Maharashtra and Karnataka). The ministry should have no problem in publishing the final award of the KWDT 2 passed on 29/11/2013 in its gazette, despite the stay given by the Supreme Court in 2011. The Centre should file an interim appeal before the SC to get a clearance for the gazette notification," asserted the JD(S), and demanded that the Upper Krishna Project III be granted the status of "National" project.
The Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal has passed its final decision and order on August 14, 2018. Considering the drinking water woes in the twin cities Hubballi and Dharwad, the Centre must publish the final award in the gazette notification at the earliest, stated the memorandum.
"Goa has moved the Supreme Court against the Mahadayi water diversion (to Kalasa Banduri nala) project. But the Centre, which had granted in-principle clearance, later withdrew it, yielding to pressure from Goa. There is no consistency in the stand taken by the various ministries in government. We urge the Centre, on behalf if the people of Karnataka to resolve these burning issues at the earliest," appealed the JD(S).
