Kannada organisations oppose PRAWAH team visit to Mahadayi basin
Goa is planning to spread misinformation, they say
Kannada organisations have opposed the proposed visit of the Mahadayi PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) team to the Mahadayi river basin in Karnataka to inspect the status of projects undertaken by the State.
The team is touring the three riparian states – Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa for six days. It is expected to spend Sunday and Monday in Karnataka. Kannada organisations allege that the visit will be misused by Goa to spread misinformation about the project.
Ashok Chandaragi, convenor of the Central Committee of Kannada Organisations in Belagavi, said that activists were angry with the lethargic attitude of the Karnataka government towards the Mahadayi issue. “We think it is the government of Bengaluru and not the government of Karnataka. Forget about Ministers from south Karnataka, our own leaders are not speaking for us,’‘ he said.
“Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has accused Karnataka of irregularities and has said that the PRAWAH team inspection would be used as evidence in court. This is not only a bundle of lies, but also against the interests of Karnataka. Most importantly, what is the need for a site inspection by the authority when the Supreme Court and the river water tribunal have approved of Karnataka’s proposal? Why is Karnataka allowing this,” asked Mr. Chandaragi. The committee has written a letter to CM Siddaramaiah opposing the visit.
Insistence of Goa government
Mr. Chandaragi has alleged that PRAWAH was constituted following a demand by Goa, that the inspection was necessitated by the insistence of Goa government, and that there is a clash of interest in the PRAWAH team as the chairman hails from Goa. There is no doubt the team will favour Goa’s argument against ours. Karnataka government should stop them at any cost, he said.
On Thursday, Pramod Sawant, Goa CM, had shared messages on social media that Goa would use the visit of PRAWAH members to ‘uncover the truth’ of what Karnataka has done in the basin, before the team.
He told reporters in Panaji on Thursday that the monsoon was the right time for the team to visit Kanakumbi, the birth place of the river, where, he alleged, Karnataka had begun diverting water from the basin towards the Malaprabha river.
“This will expose Karnataka. The team will spend two days each in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa and see the violations. “The Mahadayi PRAWAH team will spend 6 days – two days in Maharashtra, two days in Karnataka and two days in Goa to inspect Mahadayi. This is the right time. Our continuous demand was to see if the water has to be diverted. It was necessary to go to Kankumbi and see if the water is going to the Malaprabha basin,” he said. He also shared the tour programme of the team on social media.
Karnataka Irrigation Department officers say that the team would visit Kotni dam site, Haltara Nala and Surla Nala, apart from the work sites of the Kalasa and Bandori projects. They would also hold a meeting of officials in Belagavi on Sunday. A meeting with senior officials is scheduled in Bengaluru on Monday.
The team began its inspections by visiting Anjunem dam, Surla falls, river Valvanti, Uskem, Cumbharjua, Amthane dam in Goa.
- Telegram
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