BELAGAVI
After Karnataka police faced flak for action against the Goa WRD team, media and activists, the Belagavi district Kannada organisations have now accused Goa officials and environmentalists of misbehaviour during the inspection by the Supreme Court-appointed Joint Inspection Committee (JIC) at the Kalsa site last week.
The three-member committee representing Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra inspected the retainer wall blocking the flow towards Malaprabha and surrounding areas of the controversial Kalsa nala near Kankumbi on March 19.
The Kannada organisations alleged that some environmentalists from Goa along with journalists tried to enter the project site during the inspection, despite instructions that no one, except the JIC members, were allowed to do so.
“By these acts, Goa is trying to jeopardise and delay the implementation of the Kalsa-Bhandura project. The Karnataka government should bring this to the notice of the Supreme Court during the next hearing. Goa had attempted these tactics during the hearing by the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal from 2010 to 2018,” said Ashok Chandaragi, president of the Kannada organisation's committee.
“We have also dashed a letter to Rakesh Singh, Karnataka’s Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, to bring Goa’s tactics and interference to the notice of the Supreme Court and the Central government.”
Meanwhile, Karnataka police have also stated that they were informed to allow only the three-member expert committee at the work project site.
“However, some environmentalists and journalists were trying to barge into the project site during the inspection. The committee had given stringent instruction not to allow anyone and we were following orders,” a senior police official.
It may be noted that the Karnataka government has sanctioned Rs 1,677 crore till now for the implementation of this project.
