Talks with Goa CM on Mahadayi river row "satisfactory":BJP

Karnataka BJP leaders today termed as "satisfactory" their meeting with neighbouring Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikkar on sharing inter-state Mahadayi river water for drinking needs of northern districts in the southern state.
A BJP team led by state chief B S Yeddyurappa, which met Parrikar in the presence of party President Amit Shah in Delhi, said he will make an announcement on the outcome of the deliberations at a party convention in Hubballi tomorrow.
Today's meeting to resolve the dispute, mediated by Shah, comes at a time when Karnataka is gearing for assembly polls early next year.
Attended by party election in-charge to Karnataka Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Prakash Javadekar, the meeting is seen as an attempt to protect BJP's interest during the assembly polls early next year.

Congress and JDS have been cornering BJP, accusing party government in Goa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not being sympathetic to drinking water needs of the state.
Emerging out of the meeting, Yeddyurappa said the detailed discussions on Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri issue with Parrikar took place in a "good environment".

"He has heard our suggestions positively, tomorrow in Hubballi there is a big convention where over a lakh of people are gathering, by then they (Goa) are expected come out with their clear stand on the 7.56 tmcft water that we are seeking for drinking purpose and how it can be done," he said.

Yeddyurappa added that they would announce in the Hubballi public meeting whatever information the Goa government shared with them. "We are satisfied with the discussion," he added.
Karnataka which has locked horns with Goa on the larger issue of sharing Mahadayi River water, is seeking release of 7.56 tmcft water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, being undertaken to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag.
The Karnataka government had earlier petitioned the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal which on July 27 last year in its interim order had rejected the state's plea citing various grounds, including ecological damage that the project may cause.

Challenging this, the state government has filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court.
Following the interim order, violent protests were witnessed in most parts of northern Karnataka, during which government offices were attacked and public properties were damaged. Also, a state-wide bandh was observed.
Karnataka has for long been advocating out of court settlement of the issue and had sought Modi's intervention.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had led an all party delegation demanding demanding for the same.
In September last year the tribunal had asked Chief Ministers of all the three riparian states of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra to resolve the dispute amicably by holding discussions, following which Siddaramaiah also wrote to the two Chief Ministers for amicable solution.

Goa which had earlier expressed its opposition to the out of court settlement of the dispute, did not respond positively for the proposed meeting of Chief Ministers.