HUBBALLI: Farmers took out a huge protest rally in Navalgund seeking the implementation to Mahadayi River Diversion project on Monday. The rally started at Lingaraj Circle and went through major streets of the town before culminating at the same project.
Huge police bandobast was made to prevent any untoward incidents. Police from eight districts deployed in the town for security.
Bus services were stopped to the town and shops remained closed. Farmers from Kiresur, Padesur, Gobbaragumpi, Algavadi and other surrounding villages who were on their way to Navalgund for the demonstration were detained by the police on the outskirts of Navalgund town.
Inspector general of police, Northern Range, Ramachandra Rao said that elaborate security arrangements were made ahead of the demonstration. “We had held peace meeting five times in last few days to ensure safety for public property during the protest,” he said.
The long-standing protest demanding implementation of project entered its 544th day on Monday. Navalgund and surrounding villages, in the month of July last year, had witnessed intense protest after Water Disputes Tribunal rejected Karnataka’s plea to utilise 7.5 TMC water from River Mahadayi. The Tribunal's’ direction to resolve the issue through negotiation - Karnataka, Goa and Maharastra - has not gone anywhere
After a long gap, the farmers of the town have now decided to intensify the agitation. Various farmer organisations have extended their support for the same.