Mangaluru :Former Union Minister Janardhan Poojary has urged the Chief Minister to implement Mekedatu project and drop the implementation of Yettinahole project.

Briefing reporters, on Saturday, he said the amendment to land acquisition bill will pose a hindrance to Yettinahole project. The proposal should be dropped and Mekedatu project should be implemented to mitigate water crisis in parched districts of Kolar, Tumakur, Bengaluru rural and Ramnagar. Stating that a few persons are supporting Yettinahole project for political gain, he said by implementing the project, they will get the “sin” of making Dakshina Kannada district dry. Why the State government wants to implement Paramasivayya report on diversion of river Netravathi? he asked. The MLAs and MP of the region should raise their voice against the implementation of Yettinahole project, he added.

“To solve the problems pertaining to shortage of water, the government should chalk out plans to harness the water from the rivers flowing in the State. I fully support the protest staged by various pro-Kannada organisations against the objections raised by the Tamil Nadu. The Karnataka State government should stand firm on its decision to go ahead with the Mekedatu project on the grounds that it was not violating any rules. The implementation of the project will improve ground water level in the border areas,” he felt.

The former union minister said that the Mekedatu project will not deprive Tamil Nadu government of its share of water from river Cauvery. Only the additional water will be utilised for the generation of electricity and mitigate water crisis. The Detailed Project Report for the Mekedatu project should be prepared at the earliest. The Chief Minister should take a delegation to the Prime Minister and impress upon him the need for implementing the project.

The former minister said that the district Congress workers and Kudroli temple has been providing horekanike to the Ullal dargah during every uroos celebrations. This year, from Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara temple 104 mudi rice will be given to the uroos.

Rice worth Rs 9 lakh has already been procured by the district Congress for the horekanike.