Congress to petition Soz on Kalsa-Bandori project

Bangalore, June 22 (UNI) A Congress delegation from Karnataka will meet Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz on the contentious Kalsa-Bandori drinking water project.

Talking to newspersons here, KPCC president Mallijarjuna Kharge said the delegation comprising senior leaders would convince Soz about the importance of the project and seek immediate relief on the Union Government's stay on 'in-principle' clearance given to the project earlier.

He said the project proposal was prepared by the previous Congress government in the state to meet the drinking water needs in the parts of Dharwad, Haveri and Belgaum districts in Northern Karnataka.

The previous NDA government which had accorded in-principle clearance for the project, however issued a stay on it following objections raised by the then BJP-led state government in Goa.

He alleged BJP leaders in the state were trying to politicise the issue and blaming Congress for the delay in the execution of the project.

Mr Kharge said Congress leaders in the state had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and briefed them about the project.

The Prime Minister assured that he would take up the matter with Union Water Resources Minister on the issue, he added.

UNI