Dharawad: This is a four-decade-long struggle for water. Every election, political parties have been using this struggle to their advantage. But there has been no end to this struggle of the farmers. Farmers’ activists in 14 taluks of four districts of North Karnataka have been fighting for Mahadayi water for the last four decades. But not a drop of water has come. Now, once again, the farmer agitators have decided to come together and join the water struggle.
During the last assembly elections, the Water Resources Department of the Central Government had finalised the DPR. But the water did not come. However, the Goa Government again approached the Supreme Court, saying it would harm wildlife. The court has now decided to hear the matter. Therefore, the Mahadayi process is likely to be delayed by another year.
Similarly, for the last four decades, there has been one or the other complications. But the farmers’ fields and North Karnataka did not get water for drinking. Thus, the Mahadayi activists are now gearing up for another struggle.
They are preparing to push political parties to get their rightful water. The farmers held a meeting at the Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Dharawad, which has been the venue for many struggles.
A resolution in this regard was taken at the meeting and activists from 14 taluks of four districts will meet Union Minister Prahlad Joshi at his house through a delegation and request him to bring Mahadayi water. He will also be explained the path of struggle if water is not provided in future.
Earlier in 2018, the tribunal had ordered to release 13.5 TMC of water to the state. Of this, 5.5 TMC is allocated for drinking and 8.02 TMC for power generation. But not a drop of water came into it.
The activists are also gearing up to teach a lesson to the people’s representatives and political parties who have voted for politics for so long. Therefore, if water does not come by the time of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the activists are contemplating on how to teach a lesson to politicos?
The agitators have now taken a step forward and have decided to show their power to the political parties.
Overall, the Mahadayi agitation, which had cooled down for the last five years, has now come to the fore. The agitation had intensified during the last Lok Sabha election. The Lok Sabha elections are now on the verge of being held again. There is BJP Government at the Centre and Congress Government in the state. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether the Mahadayi issue will become a political angle or the agitators will be able to escape the political trap and succeed in the fight to get water.