Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar has strongly objected to diverting water from the Hidkal Dam to meet the industrial needs of Hubballi-Dharwad, especially during water shortages in Belagavi district. He emphasized that when drinking water is scarce, prioritizing industrial supply for another district is unjustifiable.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Shettar urged the government and district ministers to clarify whether pipeline work was underway and whether official approval had been granted. He pointed out that if excess water was available, there would be no opposition, but in times of shortage, such a move was unacceptable.
Shettar called on Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, local Congress MLAs, and the Deputy Commissioner to disclose the truth about the ongoing project. He announced plans to meet with the Deputy Commissioner to verify if an official order had been issued to halt the pipeline work.
Criticizing the financial health of the state, Shettar stated that contractors were owed over ₹60,000 crore and that guarantee schemes had hindered developmental projects. He also highlighted delays in salaries for transport corporation employees and the closure of nine universities set up during the BJP government.
Commenting on Karnataka’s political climate, he claimed that internal conflicts within the Congress were worsening and accused CM Siddaramaiah of prioritizing his legacy over governance. He also assured that factional disputes within the BJP would be resolved soon.
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