Karnataka CM again seeks audience with PM

A miffed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has again sought an audience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in resolving inter-state issues and for discussing drought conditions in many districts.

"As the prime minister could not give appointment for a meeting in New Delhi on August 10 with an all-party delegation, the chief minister has again sought on a convenient date after August 23 to discuss state issues, including the drinking water project across the Mahadayi river," an official told IANS on Friday.

As parliamentarians from the state were in Delhi for the monsoon session, which concluded on Thursday, Siddaramaiah wanted to meet Modi along with them, including central ministers from the state for settling the inter-state dispute with Goa to supply drinking water to the drought-prone northern districts.

"Our project to build barrages across Kalasa and Banduri tributaries of the Mahadayi river for diverting 7.6 tmc (thousand million cubic) feet of water to the Malaprabha river and supplying it Belagavi, Dharwad and Gadag districts has been held up to objections raised by Goa, as the river flows through the western state," the official said.

Clarifying that he was not politicising the issue of Modi not granting time to him or the state delegation, Siddaramaiah observed that in a federal set-up, the central government had to be fair to all states in dealing with inter-state issues.

"The chief minister has called for an all-party meeting here on August 23 to discuss the drinking water project and draft a joint appeal to the prime minister for securing clearance to implement it from the BJP-rule Goa," the official said.

The ruling Congress has also sought Modi's intervention in building a reservoir (dam) across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu near Kanakapura, about 100 km from here, for hydro power generation and drinking water supply in the old Mysuru region, as the Tamil Nadu government has been objecting to it, being a riparian state sharing the river water as per the tribunal award.