HUBBALLI: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi assured farmers that he would convince party leaders in Goa and Maharashtra on sharing water of the river Mahadayi to solve drinking water crisis in north Karnataka, but would do so only after an intervention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When leaders of Kalasa Banduri Horata Samiti met him at the helipad in Ranibennur helipad on Saturday, he said: “The Congress is not in power in New Delhi, Goa and Maharashtra. Therefore, it is responsibility of the Prime Minister to intervene and chair a meeting of Chief Ministers of all states. Congress leaders in neighboring states have not opposed the project. Still, I will convince our party about the issue after a meeting convened by the Union government.” He assured that his party would raise the issue in parliament keeping in mind the severity of drinking water problem in four districts of Mumbai-Karnataka region. His party would support farmers over sharing of water by Goa and Karnataka, he added. Mr Gandhi met a delegation of the Samiti, including Navalgund MLA N H Konareddy and former legislator Shankar Patil Munenkoppa at a special enclosure at the helipad. All farmers tried to convince the leader about the need for early implementation of long-pending project and solve acute drinking water scarcity in the region.
They also urged him to file an interim application before Mahadayi tribunal without waiting for final verdict during a discussion with him for nearly 20 minutes. Kalasa Banduri Horata Samiti working president, Basavarajayya Hiremath, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the outcome of the meeting with Mr Rahul Gandhi. Mr Hiremath said the Congress leader has merely passed on the responsibility to Prime Minister Mr Modi. He stated that the Congress leader has not given a categorical assurance to solve the issue by convincing his party men in neighboring states.
