Amid protests demanding the scrapping of the ongoing Hemavathi Express Link Canal project in Tumakuru and FIRs against BJP MLAs for violating the prohibitory orders, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, also the water resources minister, slammed the opposition for “politicising” the issue and claimed that the technical (feasibility) committee had okayed the project and the BJP leaders were well aware of it.
"Opposition to the Hemavati Link Canal Project is purely political. The project was approved during H.D. Kumaraswamy’s tenure as the chief minister. When Yediyurappa became CM, the then District Minister Madhuswamy halted the project. Initially, the project cost was Rs 600 crore. It has now increased to Rs 900–1,000 crore. I will reveal the blackmail and demands of those protesting against the Hemavati Link Canal Project at the appropriate time,” said Shivakumar, who also dismissed claims that Hemavathi water was being diverted to Ramanagara (Bengaluru South) district, his hometurf.
“There is no need for Hemavati water in Bengaluru South district. The claims that water is being diverted to my district is false. Over the past ten years, 90 per cent of the water allocated to Kunigal has remained unused, which is an injustice to the people there. Kunigal taluk has a share of 3.3 tmc of Hemavati water. BJP should not escalate the matter. Is this an inter-state conflict?,” asked the Kanakapura MLA.
“People like V.K. Ramayya and Huchamasthi Gowda from Kunigal have fought hard to bring Hemavati water to Tumakuru. We are only implementing their vision. We have already released Rs 400 crore for this project. Work has begun,” he informed.
Shivakumar warned of stern action against anyone who obstructs the project. “BJP MLAs Krishnappa and Suresh Gowda had asked for a technical committee to be formed and the committee has now submitted the report in favour of the project. Now, they are taking law into their own hands, creating hurdles and instigating the farmers,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the Gubbi police have booked more than a hundred agitators including BJP MLAs B. Suresh Gowda (Tumakuru Rural), M.T. Krishnappa (Turuvekere) and Jyoti Ganesh (Tumakuru city), seers, farmers and JDS leaders.
“The government will not be intimidated by such protests. I do not wish to publicly disclose what their demands are. When I undertook the Mekedatu padayatra (protest march), did I take the law into my own hands? If work is halted every day, who will bear the losses?,” he asked.
Meanwhile, Home minister G Parameshwara, who is the MLA from Koratagere in Tumakuru, defended the project and stated that he would again discuss the issue with the legislators concerned from across all parties.
WHAT IS HEMAVATHI PROJECT?
The Hemavathi Link Canal Project, also known as the Kunigal Express Link Canal or Sriranga Drinking Water Project, is aimed at addressing the drinking water shortages in Magadi (Ramanagara district) and Kunigal (Tumakuru district) taluks by channelling water from the Hemavathi river to the Sriranga Lake in Magadi.
On July 3, 2024, the state irrigation department formed a technical committee headed by retired engineer Arvind D. Kanagile, to conduct a feasibility study. On October 19, 2024, the Karnataka government issued an order to proceed with the project based on the committee's recommendations.
The report recommended supplying drinking water to Magadi and Kunigal taluks by diverting the Hemavathi river water to Sriranga lake through a pipeline. Kunigal taluk was allocated 3.676 TMC, but it received only 10 per cent over the past decade. The project now hopes to rectify this deficit without impacting the upstream taluks.
The protesting farmers are opposed to the water allegedly being diverted to Ramanagara district and also the installation of underground pipeline instead of open canals stating that it would deprive the other taluks of water. The farmers are demanding that an open canal would help the irrigation and livestock all along the canal.
The project was initially commissioned during the Congress-JDS government in 2018, with work commencing when the Congress returned to power in 2023. However, it has faced opposition from BJP and JDS leaders, who allege that the project diverts Tumakuru district's share of Hemavathi water to Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts.