Seeking a gazette notification on the award of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal and intervention of the Governor in the matter, farmers plan to march to the Raj Bhavan shortly.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Dharwad district spokesperson of Raita Sena Karnataka Guru Rayanagoudra said that they planned to offer “Bagina” (traditional offering) to the Malarpabha at Naviluteerth in Belagavi district on September 17. On the same day, the next course of action, including the date for Raj Bhavan Chalo, would be decided.
Mr. Rayanagoudra said that they had sought the intervention of the Governor in getting the gazette notification for the tribunal’s award and they would launch an agitation soon to exert pressure on him.
Mr. Rayanagoudra said that the Raita Sena was of the opinion that the meeting of the Chief Ministers of the riparian States would serve no purpose as the tribunal had already given its verdict and only a gazette notification was required now. “What is required now is chalking out plans for the early exploitation of the waters allocated and the completion of works to enable the optimum utilisation of the allocated share,” he said.
Office-bearers of the Raita Sena Mallanna Alekar, Prashanthgouda Dundigoudar, Anand Dasappanavar, Gangappa Vireshnavar and others said that if the government failed to take steps for the early utilisation of the Malaprabha waters, then they better “give poison to farmers”. Blaming the officials for the loss being suffered by residents in villages on the banks of the Malaprabha during the recent floods, they sought immediate steps for disbursement of compensation to the affected families and also for shifting flood-prone villages.