MANGALORE: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Monday denied expressing commitment to divert Netravathi river to four districts in Uttara Kannada district. Addressing mediapersons after landing at Maryhill on Monday, the chief minister clarified on having expressed commitment to provide water to the four districts. "I have not justified the diversion of Netravathy river and my statements have been misunderstood. I only had talked about facilitating discussions with elected representatives and officials on diverting water from Yetthinahole to meet the drinking water needs of Kolar, Chikballapura, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts,” he said.
He recollected himself being a vocal critic about Netravathy river diversion. The experts have submitted reports on diversion of Netravathy river and Bhadra river diversion projects.
“If possible, these projects would be implemented without destroying the environment.”
‘CM DVS cannot become BSY’
Sadananda Gowda revealed convening a core-committee meeting to discuss the recent happenings within the BJP. The date has not been fixed yet and national leaders will be invited to the meet, he said.
When questioned about former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s statements on becoming the chief minister again with the consent of national leaders, Gowda directed reporters to pose the query to Yeddyurappa himself.
“I am CM DVS and cannot become BSY,” he declared and replied in the negative to a query on the party’s preparations to Lok Sabha byelections in Udupi- Chikmagalur.
"You ask the Congress,” he replied to journalists who persisted with the same query.