Even as there was an air of celebration over the notification of the Mahadayi verdict, Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation Ramesh Jarkiholi said on Friday that it was not yet time to rejoice as there were still several issues to be sorted out before work on the project could begin.
Responding to a felicitation by farmers at Sambra airport in Belagavi, he said, “There are many issues that need to be resolved still. Notification of award is only a preliminary step. I urge all my farmers not to celebrate the notification as yet.”
According to him, the government cannot take any decisive step before the Supreme Court gives a final judgment on the dispute. “A hearing is coming up on Monday. Let us wait at least till Monday,” he said. Goa has moved a special leave petition in the apex court pleading that Karnataka should not take up any civil works before the final judgment on the matter by the SC. This is scheduled to come up on Monday.
He said the notification should not be viewed as his personal victory or that of the State government. “It is the victory of farmers. And I consider farmers as one, whether they are from Karnataka, Goa or Maharashtra. The project will help all of them,” he said. Mr. Jarkiholi also said that he would go to Kanakumbi, the birthplace of the Mahadayi river near Khanapur.
Meanwhile, at Naragund in Gadag district, the epicentre of the indefinite agitation of farmers, crackers were burst and sweets distributed at the protest venue. The indefinite protest was launched in 2015 seeking a resolution to the long-pending dispute over the sharing of Mahadayi water and the Kalasa Banduri nala project.
Scores of organisations from different parts of the State, who had extended support to the agitation, came together to celebrate at different places, including Naragund, Navalgund, Gadag, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi and other places. They demanded that the State government take immediate steps to initiate works to get Karnataka’s share of water.
