Karnataka Ministers condemn violence over Hemavathi link canal

Bengaluru, Jun 2 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday condemned the violence over Hemavathi link canal project.

The protest on May 31 saw the participation of opposition leaders and farmer groups, which was aimed at halting the ongoing canal work. Locals are concerned that the project would threaten the water supply to Tumakuru's agricultural heartland.

In response to the unrest, police registered 13 FIRs, naming several protesters, including Tumakuru Rural BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda, BJP leader S D Dilip Kumar, and JD(S) leader Nagaraju.

The protestors burnt tyres and disrupted traffic, defying prohibitory orders imposed by the local administration within a 10 km radius of the work site.

Shivakumar, who holds the water resource portfolio, criticised the ongoing protests against the Hemavathi Link Canal project, calling it a "political stunt" driven by misinformation and blackmail.

Addressing reporters at the Vidhana Soudha, the Deputy Chief Minister categorically denied allegations that the project was intended to divert water to Bengaluru South district.

“I will reveal at the right time what the blackmail and demands of these protesters are,” Shivakumar said. “It is a lie that Hemavati water is being diverted to Bengaluru South. The truth is that 90 per cent of the water allocated to Kunigal has not been utilised in the last decade. This is a grave injustice to the people of Kunigal.” He accused opposition leaders of "politicising" the issue and misleading the public.

“This project was originally approved during H D Kumaraswamy’s tenure as Chief Minister. When B S Yediyurappa took over as Chief Minister, it was blocked by district minister Madhuswamy and others. The project, initially estimated at Rs 600 crore, has now escalated to Rs 900 crore to Rs 1,000 crore due to the delay,” he said.

Shivakumar clarified that there is no need for Hemavathi water in Ramanagara district, contrary to claims made by the protesters.

“Ramanagara has its own irrigation scheme. This project is specifically for the benefit of Kunigal taluk, which has received just 3.3 TMC of its rightful share. Is this an inter-state conflict? No. We are merely correcting a long-standing imbalance,” he underlined.

He also defended the formation of a technical committee—an initiative ironically suggested by some of the current protest leaders. “Krishnappa and Suresh Gowda demanded a technical committee, and now that the report is out, they are the ones obstructing work,” he said, accusing them of using farmers for "political gains".

Shivakumar emphasized that Rs 400 crore has already been released for the project and that work has commenced.

In a pointed remark, he concluded, “Are the people of Kunigal not Tumkur citizens too? When Tumkur receives water from Krishna and Cauvery, why deny Hemavati water to Kunigal? The people understand this. Only the blackmailers don’t.” Speaking to reporters in Tumakuru, Parameshwara urged all stakeholders to keep politics out of developmental issues.

Parameshwara, who hails from Tumakuru, clarified that the drinking water project aimed at supplying water to Kunigal taluk through an express canal was approved by the state cabinet on January 5, 2024, following extensive discussions and technical evaluations.

“A meeting had been held in the presence of the Chief Minister and the Irrigation Minister where all concerned MLAs, including from Turuvekere and the leaders who led the earlier protests, had submitted their views. Based on that, the government took a well-informed decision,” he said.

The Minister revealed that although earlier protests had temporarily halted the canal work citing lack of permission, work resumed on May 31 after obtaining all necessary clearances.

However, the resumption was met with stiff resistance from MLAs Suresh Gowda, Jyothiganesh, Krishnappa, and some religious leaders, who reportedly demanded a halt.

Despite the Deputy Commissioner’s attempts to persuade them to avoid public unrest, the protest escalated, said Parameshwara.

Mud bricks were thrown, and an inspector named Lohit was injured. Equipment including a JCB was also damaged, the Home Minister said.

“No arrests have been made yet, and the names of Swamijis have not been officially included,” Parameshwar clarified.

To allay fears among Tumakuru residents, the Home Minister reassured that their water share — 2,815 units — remains intact, while 3,037 units have been allocated to Kunigal.

“There is a misconception that drawing water from the 70 km point will reduce Tumakuru’s supply. This has been ruled out by the technical committee,” he said. PTI GMS GMS ROH