Vijayapura: With an objective of pressurising ruling BJP Government to speed up all irrigation projects coming under Upper Krishna Project – III, the Congress leaders of twin districts, Vijayapura and Bagalkot have launched a Padayatra from Ghataprabha River on Friday October 1.
The Congress leaders will end their Yatra at Takkalaki village at Krishna River by covering around 24 kilometers. The Padyatra has been launched under the banner of Uttara-Karnataka Swabimana Vedike. Besides politicians, several seers including Tontadarya Matha of Gadag, Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura are expected to participate.
Detailing about the padayatra, S R Patil, leader of opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, said that, “This padayatra has been named as Gandhi Nadige Krishne Kadige (Gandhi Walk towards Krishna) for the implementation of UKP-III phase. This agitation is being launched for the welfare of victims and beneficiaries of UKP. The seers of mutts, farmer leaders and people will participate.”
“The government has to pace up the work on the implementation of UKP-III phase works with fulfilling the following demands such as the complete utilisation of 130 tmc of water allocated in the third phase, irrigating 15 lakh acres of agricultural land, compensating the farmers and villagers that have lost land and property as per the guidelines of National Rehabilitation Policy and reservation up to 20 per cent in education and government jobs for the beneficiaries in submerged area residents.”
“The State Government has to take up the works similar to that of the Telangana Government which implemented Kaleshwar Lift Irrigation Project of Rs 1.2 lakh crores in five years. The government has announced only Rs 2,500 crores for UKP projects in the recently chaired meeting. With this pace and fund allocation when will the government implement the project,” Patil questioned the commitment of the government on UKP.
“When Congress Government was at the helm of affairs in the State, it stood by its words by allocating Rs 10,000 crore every year for the irrigation works. But the same commitment is not being displayed by the BJP government, which had promised of finishing the UKP works by 2023,” fumed veteran leader Patil.
He also clarified that it is not the Congress party that has launched the padayatra but infact is only supporting the Uttara-Karnataka Swabimana Vedike.
MLC Sunilgouda Patil said that “The government is working at snail pace in the implementation of UKP. This padayatra is being launched to caution the government to pace up its work for the welfare of people of Bagalkot and Vijayapura. Apart from implementation of the project it should also fulfil the demands of the victims.”
Former MLAs H Y Meti, J. T. Patil and former MP Ajaykumar Sarnayak and other Congress leaders will participate in the padayatra.
Meanwhile, BJP leader, Vijugouda Patil has criticised the Congress for launching such an event. In a release, he said that the Congress which is now fearing of losing the coming assembly polls, has been making such desperate attempts.
He stated that the Congress which was in power when Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister, did not complete the project. Now, it is trying to put the blame on the BJP.
Describing it merely as a gimmick, he asserted that the BJP government has been doing its best in implementing the project even during the Covid pandemic which has caused enormous economic loss to the Government.
