BENGALURU: The Congress on Sunday resumed its ‘padayatra’ from Ramanagara, demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the river Cauvery. Party leaders and workers chanted slogans as they set out on the padayatra, which they had been forced to abandon on January 13, after being pulled up by the courts over concerns of Covid-19 spread.
Led by Congress state president D K Shivakumar and Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah, the five-day padayatra with the theme ‘Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku’ (Our Water, Our Right) will culminate at the National College Grounds in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on March 3, after covering a distance of 79.8km.
AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala was among those others present at the padayatra. They proceeded towards Bidadi, where the leaders halted for the night, and will resume from Bidadi on Monday, moving towards Kengeri.
Siddaramaiah, who had raised the issue with former AICC president Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders in Delhi a few days ago, alleged that in 30 months of a double-engine government, the Central and State governments could not get environmental clearance for the project. He said there is no court order against it, yet the government could not get permission. Details like DPR and revised DPR had already been submitted when the Congress and coalition governments were in power. “BJP lacks the will to set up the Mekedatu project,’’ Surjewala said.
In response to the offensive, Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol said the Congress had promised to take up Krishna works in its party manifesto, but failed. He said the amount spent in five years was a mere Rs 7,228 crore, of which modernisation of canals took up Rs 2,336 crore. He reminded the Congress of its padayatra from Hospet to Koodalsangama over Krishna Kadage, and also its claim that it would sanction Rs 50,000 crore in five years.