MP Basavaraj Bommai raises voice in Parliament for Karnataka’s irrigation projects

Bengaluru Express

New Delhi, March 21:

Former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai urged the central government to intervene and allow Karnataka to raise the height of the Almatti reservoir. The union government must clearly explain the Interstate Water Disputes Act to the Supreme Court and facilitate the implementation of the Upper Krishna project.

Participating in the discussion on the demands of the Ministry of Jal Shakti in Parliament, he said that it has been 15 years since the tribunal’s verdict on Karnataka’s Krishna Upper Bank project. However, due to disputes over water sharing between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the case is still pending in the Supreme Court. The union government to intervene and clarify the legal aspects to enable the project’s execution.

He said Karnataka is an intermediary state in this project. Maharashtra is unwilling to release water, while Andhra Pradesh and Telangana demand it. What should be Karnataka’s stance? The Krishna Tribunal’s order came in 2010, and now it is 2025, but there has been no notification yet. Raising the height of the Almatti reservoir to 524 meters is not just their proposal—it is their right, as determined by the tribunal. This will not cause floods in Maharashtra, and in fact, the increased height will also benefit Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The water-sharing issue between Andhra and Telangana should be resolved by them.

Approve Mahadayi project

Bommai further asserted that the Mekedatu project is Karnataka’s rightful claim and has been pending for six years without a decision. The union government must take leadership in resolving the issue and direct the CWRC (Central Water Resources Commission) and CWC (Central Water Commission) to take appropriate action. Similarly, although the Mahadayi tribunal has given its verdict, environmental clearance has not been granted, causing difficulties for Karnataka.

The MP pointed out that Karnataka is facing injustice in the interlinking of rivers like Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Cauvery. The NWDA (National Water Development Agency) should be given proper instructions to safeguard Karnataka’s water rights.

Start Bedti-Varada link project

Bommai also called for the immediate implementation of the Bedti-Varada river interlinking project, which has not yet been initiated. This project falls within his Haveri Lok Sabha constituency and must be executed without further delay.

He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives in ensuring drinking water supply and urged the government to take similar decisive steps in resolving interstate water disputes.

Establish a single water tribunal

To resolve interstate water disputes, Bommai suggested setting up a single national tribunal under the leadership of a sitting Supreme Court judge. This tribunal should resolve disputes within six months. “Interstate water disputes have caused significant economic and livelihood losses across the country. According to Section 3 of the Interstate Water Disputes Act, if any state files a complaint with the central government, a tribunal must be formed. We are facing several challenges due to these disputes. Once a dispute arises, a tribunal is established, and for the past 50 years, states like Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh have had ongoing water disputes. However, no satisfactory resolution has been achieved”.

Bommai noted that, as a result, project costs have skyrocketed—from Rs 200 crores to Rs 20,000 crores. Some judges have been presiding over cases for 20 to 30 years, causing a significant financial burden. This is not just judicial delay but a denial of justice. To resolve these disputes, a single tribunal led by a sitting Supreme Court judge should be set up to ensure timely resolution.

Central Government hailed

The former CM appreciated the central government for implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission across the country and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil for taking special responsibility for water issues despite water being a subject on the state list. For 75 years since independence, ensuring clean drinking water for people was not prioritized. Water is essential for everyone—whether individuals, institutions, or governments. That is why interstate water conflicts arise. The water crisis is now a global issue. Three decades ago, India was in the green zone, but now it has moved to the yellow zone. Natural resources should be treated as national assets.

Bommai stressed the need for proper water conservation and management. So far, they have only focused on building large dams to store water, but now the focus should be on efficient water utilization. It is often said that a lot of fresh water is wasted by flowing into the sea. However, naturally, 30 per cent of fresh water must reach the sea for evaporation and rainfall cycles to function. Only fresh water contributes to cloud formation, not just saline water.

He lauded the central government’s efforts in prioritizing drinking water. The Prime Minister announced the Jal Jeevan Mission from the Red Fort. This year’s budget allocated Rs 99,503 crores for water-related projects, with Rsb74,000 crores earmarked for drinking water. Of this, Rsb67,000 crores is allocated to the Jal Jeevan Mission. Before this mission, there was a significant gap in access to drinking water between rural and urban areas. After independence, 19 crore households had tap water. By January 2025, 15 crore more households will receive tap water under this scheme. This is a remarkable achievement.

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