Centre to convene Chief Ministers' meet on Mahadayi issue

Hubli, June 28 (UNI) The Union government will soon convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of Goa and Karnataka to clear the 'abeyance' on implementation of Kalsa-Bandori (Mahadayi) drinking water project, Kalsa Bandori Action Committee President B R Yavagal said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Yavagal, a former Karnataka Minister, Mr B S Patil, former Karnataka Chief Secretary, K N Gaddi, a former Minister, who were part of a Congress delegation that called on Congress President Sonia Gandhi recently at New Delhi, said she assured that justice would be meted out to the people of Karnataka. She had also arranged for a meeting between the delegation and Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz.

Mr Soz, after discussing the matter with the delegation, had assured that he would soon convene a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the two states to settle the issue amicably.

The project was kept in abeyance by erstwhile NDA government at the behest of Goa government when a BJP Government was in power.

Recently, during the electioneering in Goa, Ms Gandhi had assured the people of the Goa that her party would not allow the implementation of the project. This led to widespread protests in North Karnataka region.

UNI