The petition was filed by AV Nagendra Prasad through advocate Sridhar Prabhu. (file)
Bangalore:
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday asked the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to state by January 14 whether it has taken permission to organize a ‘walk for water’ demanding a balancing reservoir on the river Kaveri at Mekedatu in Ramanagara district. .
Hearing a petition, a division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Suraj Govindraj directed the state government to submit before itself on Friday how the KPCC was granted permission to hold the rally.
The bench asked the government what measures were taken to prevent the KPCC from organizing the rally. The court directed the Congress to state whether they were adhering to the COVID norms like wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing.
The petition was filed by AV Nagendra Prasad through advocate Sridhar Prabhu.
On January 4, following a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state, the Karnataka government had banned protests, demonstrations and congregations of people.
Nevertheless, the Congress went ahead with its ‘padayatra’ (March), saying the government was increasing the number of COVID-19 cases, and alleging that it was trying to sabotage the party’s schedule.
The Congress began its 10-day padyatra on January 9, demanding the implementation of the Mekedatu project on the Cauvery river, despite the COVID-19 restrictions.
Led by state Congress president DK Shivakumar and leader of opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah, Hiking: with subjectNamma Neeru Namma Hakku‘ (Our water, our right) began at the confluence of the Kaveri and Arkavati rivers at Kanakapura in Ramnagar district, and would have spread for a distance of about 139 km.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has accused the Congress party of playing politics on the Mekedatu issue instead of behaving like a responsible opposition.
Further, alleging that the Congress, while in power, made no effort to take the project forward, he reiterated that his government was committed to implementing the project.
The Congress march from Mekedatu to Bengaluru is scheduled to pass through Kanakapura, Ramanagara and Bidadi before ending at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on January 19. It will cover about 15 of the 224 assembly constituencies in the state.
While the padyatra is being projected politically by demanding the implementation of the Mekedatu project, it is also being seen as an attempt by the Congress to mobilize its workers and strengthen its voter base in the old Mysore region, which is part of the Vokkaliga. Where the JD(S) is its traditional rival and the ruling BJP is trying to make inroads ahead of the 2023 assembly elections.
A lot is at stake for Mr Shivakumar behind this march, as many Congress functionaries believe it is an attempt by the KPCC chief to fulfill his chief ministerial ambitions ahead of the state elections, for which Siddaramaiah is also a strong contender. , The party has seen several incidents of political tussle between the two leaders in the last year.
The Karnataka government submitted a detailed project report (DPR) to the Central Water Commission (CWC) in 2019, which was then forwarded to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), where it is currently stuck as Tamil Nadu It is a low-lying coastal state. The project is opposed tooth and nail.
Karnataka has ensured that the project within its territory will benefit both the states as the surplus water stored between the two can be managed during the crisis years, and its implementation will in no way help Tamil Nadu’s farming communities. The interests will not be affected, as it will not happen. impact on your share of water
While the neighboring state is of the view that the project will “turn off and divert” the uncontrolled water flow due to Tamil Nadu in addition to the Kabini sub-basin, the catchment area below Krishnarajasagar, and the Shimsha, Arkavati and Suvarnavati sub-basins. small streams.
The estimated Rs 9,000 crore Mekedatu multipurpose (drinking and power) project involves the construction of a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramnagar district. The project, once completed, aims to ensure drinking water in Bengaluru and neighboring areas (4.75 tmc) and can also generate 400 MW of electricity.
,