Dharwad: The farmers of
Malaprabha Command Area who have been agitating for several years for the diversion of
Mahadayi river water to the
Malaprabha river are set to have a meeting with Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Union water resources minister
Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on June 13 or 14.
The farmers have been agitating under the banner of the forum Mahadayigaagi Maha Vedike. Its leader Shankar Ambali said on Saturday said the meeting is being facilitated by Karnataka-based NGO Sahyadri Jala-Jana Sanghatane headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice M N Venkatachalaiah.
He said sahyadri has asked the farmers to reach Delhi on June 13.
“The office bearers of Sahyadri are coordinating with the Prime Minister’s Office. They said we may get an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on either June 13 or 14 for about 30 minutes. We will explain to the Prime Minister about our demand for a share in Mahadayi water and request him to mediate to resolve the issue and ensure justice to
Karnataka farmers. Sahyadri has also assured us of getting an appointment with Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari,” said Ambali.
A delegation of 23 people from nine taluks of north Karnataka will reach New Delhi on June 13. Ambali expressed hope that the meeting would materialize and the outcome would be favourable to Karnataka.
Tribunal’s verdict before August 18
Karnataka has been demanding diversion of 21.28 tmcft of Mahadayi water by implementing the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project. However, Goa had approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre to constitute a tribunal to deal with the issue. After prolonged deliberations, the tribunal completed the hearing of both sides in February and is now bound to deliver its judgment before August 18.
There was pressure from the agitators in Karnataka on the prime minister to mediate and help resolve the dispute by calling a meeting of the chief ministers of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. However the meeting did not happen as Goa backed out at the last moment.
There has been apprehension among the agitators on whether the PM can now play a mediator when the Tribunal is about to deliver its judgment.
Supreme Court senior advocate Mohan Kataraki who is in the legal team assisting Karnataka in the tribunal spoke to TOI from New Delhi on Saturday. He clarified that Prime Minister Modi, as the head of the central government, can always mediate and if all the parties concerned arrive at an agreement, submit an affidavit to the tribunal that the dispute has been settled outside the tribunal.
It is to be seen whether Prime Minister Modi agrees to mediate and an out of tribunal settlement will be possible.