Mekedatu padayatra to resume from Ramanagaram on Feb. 27

A view of the Sangama — the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathi Rivers — in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara District, where the Mekedatu Project is proposed. [Pic. by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]

Bengaluru: The State Congress has decided to resume its ‘Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku’ (our water, our right) padayatra dema-nding implementation of the Mekedatu project from Ramanagaram on Feb. 27.

The padayatra was sus-pended on the fifth day on Jan. 13 owing to a surge in COVID cases.

Leader of the Opposition Siddharamaiah and KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar said that the padayatra would culminate at the National College Grounds in Basavanagudi on Mar. 3.

The State Budget for 2022-23 is expected to be tabled in the Legislature on March 4.

The protest march would be held for five days and all leaders, workers and the public would take part in it, they said.

Former Home Minister and MLA Ramalinga Reddy would lead the padayatra when it enters Bengaluru. The Congress has decided to put more pressure on the BJP Government in the State to seek necessary clearances from the Centre for implementing the project.

The Tamil Nadu Government has been opposing the project and filed a petition in the Supreme Court opposing the project in the Cauvery basin.

The Mekedatu project is aimed at supplying drinking water to Bengaluru City and neighbouring towns.

This post was published on February 22, 2022 6:29 pm