Belagavi: Karnataka Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to solve the inter-state Mahadayi water dispute, an issue on which state has locked horns with neighbouring Goa.

The resolution moved by Water Resources Minister M B Patil requested the Prime Minister to intervene by calling a meeting of Chief Ministers of the riparian states keeping in mind continuing protests in Karnataka and for the sake of healthy relationship between the neighbouring states.

It said “Prime Minister should intervene and invite Chief Ministers of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka to find a solution to the dispute that will facilitate Karnataka to divert water from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha, as planned.”

Patil said he was moving this resolution following the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunals suggestion made on September 1 asking the concerned states to resolve the water dispute amicably by holding discussions with or without third party mediation.

Karnataka government, which has locked horns with the neighbouring Goa on the larger issue of sharing Mahadayi River water between both the states, had earlier petitioned the tribunal seeking the release of 7.56 tmcft of water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, but it was rejected in an interim order on July 27.

The Kalasa-Banduri project is being undertaken by Karnataka to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag.

Karnataka has for long been advocating an out of court settlement of the issue. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had even led an all-party delegation to Prime Minister seeking his intervention. A meeting called by Maharashtra Chief Minister with his Goa and Karnataka counterparts on October 21 following the tribunals suggestion could not take place as Goa CM had expressed his inability to participate.

Earlier in the day, assembly witnessed chaos, war of wards and dharna, as all the political parties stuck to their respective stand on the issue.

While the Congress government demanded Prime Ministers intervention to solve the issue, BJP argued that the ruling party should convince their partymen who are in the opposition in Goa.

JD(S) members staged dharna by entering the well of the House, asking both the national parties find solution for the issue, instead of indulging in politics.