Centre to convene Chief Ministers' meeting on Mahadayi issue

Hubli, Jun 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 here today.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Yavagal, a former Karnataka Minister, Mr B S Patil, former Karnataka Chief Secretary, K N Gaddi, another former minister, who were part of a Congress delegation that called on the Congress President Sonia Gandhi recently at Delhi, said she assured that injustice would not be meted 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, 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 which was then ruled by the BJP.

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 had led to widespread protests in North Karnataka region as several towns and Hubli-Dharwad twin city in the area would get drinking water, once the project was implemented.

UNI