BELAGAVI: To tide over the worsening drought in several parts of Karnataka, the State Government has appealed to the Maharashtra government for release of water from Koyna dam to the Krishna river, Karantaka PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi has said.
Speaking to the media in Belagavi on Friday, Satish said that the government is confident that Maharashtra would release water. The meagre amount of water available in the Krishna river currently would last only for the next 10 days, he said, adding that if the water was released from Maharashtra’s Koyna dam, it would help people of several drought-hit areas in North Karnataka.
However, the government would utilise water from Hidkal dam to ensure a continued supply of water to all the affected areas if the situation demanded after 10 days, he said.
Arrangements had been made to supply 1 tmcft of water from Hidkal dam to the Krishna river and another 1 tmcft would also be released soon, he said. Tahsildars have been asked to take immediate measures to ensure supply of drinking water in the affected areas, he added.
‘Congress will win 14-17 seats in Karnataka’
Including the Belagavi and Chikkodi seats, the Congress would win 14 -17 seats in Karnataka in the Lok Sabha elections, Satish said. While stating that the Congress would win more number of seats in Mumbai and Hyderabad-Karnataka regions this time, he said, the decision of the party to field the children of Cabinet ministers would certainly help the party increase its seat tally.
The decision to allot the party tickets to the children of ministers was taken by the Congress high command and the BJP had no moral right to criticise it, he said.