Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Aam Aadhmi Party Chief Shanthala Damle held a press meet at mangaluru Press Club on Thursday.

Addressing the press personnel she said that rising to birth in Bheemgadh, Belagavi, and reaching the Arabian Sea, River Mahadayi has been made to fail to quench the thirst of the people of North Karnataka due to the shamelessness of its politicians, irresponsibility of the CM and the apathy of the PM towards the state. This is a massive fraud perpetrated collectively by the politicians at the state and centre. The desperate voice of the people has not reached the ears of its 28 MPs and 224 MLAs. The representatives must now tell us if they consider the people as alive or dead.

“In September 2015, a delegation of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had visited the belt of both Malaprabha and Mahadavi rivers, met the leaders of the agitation, collected information from the experts, studied the ground realities of canal affected areas and had suggested the CM that Form a High Power commission comprising of experts on Meteorological, Geology, Gauge, Weather, Environment, Technical, Engineering, Irrigation, Agriculture and Farmer Leaders etc. and present the report of this committee in the argument to the court,” she said.

“In the argument the state must effectively neutralize the plans of Goa by quantifying and explaining the damage that will be caused to environment of the Western Ghats and how much water can be provided for drinking water to the thousands of villages in Karnataka. The tribunal should be made aware of the availability of water and other ground realities in the area where canals are proposed through the report of expert committee,” she added.

She further said “however even after AAP delegation gave it’s suggestion to CM Siddaramaiah and the people of North Karnataka have been waging a relentless struggle for water since 2002, he has failed to understand the seriousness of the matter, making the state argue without facts and figures, thereby failing to impress upon the Tribunal of it’ drinking water requirement. AAP feels that this has proved that the CM is as good as dead for the people of the state,” she stated.

She further said that AAP had expressed its full support to the Mahadayi fight after undertaking a march from Thontadarya Math in Gadag to Dharwad and met the villagers, listening to the woes of the farmers on the way. Our Dharwad District leaders are in constant touch with the agitators and are continuing their active participation. AAP will never hesitate to stand behind the farmers in the struggle.