Farmers affected by UKP ask the state government. start work on the third phase immediately

UKP-affected Farmers’ Association leaders address a press meet in Bagalkot on Wednesday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Leaders of the Upper Krishna Project-affected Farmers’ Association (UKP) have demanded that the state government start work on the third phase of the irrigation project immediately.

Leader Adrushyappa Desai said the state government should take it up immediately or announce that it has abandoned it completely.

He told reporters in Bagalkot on Wednesday that the protest will continue.

He also claimed that land acquisition compensation fixed by the government for the third phase is too low compared to market rates.

In comparison, the original amounts set in the 1990s were in line with market rates at that time.

Former minister SR Patil said Janata Dal (S) leader HD Deve Gowda has talked about diverting Krishna waters to south Karnataka.

“This is condemnable. The fact that this statement was made in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows that they take this seriously. People of north Karnataka will not let this happen,” Patil said.

Honorary chairman of the committee and chairman of DCC bank Ajaykumar Sarnaik said that if the Almatti dam impounded 130 tmcft of water, farmers in seven districts of north Karnataka would benefit immensely.

“We need to fight for it together,” he said. In 1997, the compensation fixed was between Rs 98,000 per acre and Rs 1.48 lakh per acre. But now, the government has fixed it between ₹20 lakh and ₹24 lakh, while the market rates range between ₹35 lakh and ₹40 lakh per acre, he said.