Basavaraj Bommai blames Congress for delay in implementation of Upper Krishna Project

MP and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has blamed the Congress for the delay in the implementation of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP).

Adressing presspersons in Bagalkot on Saturday, Mr. Bommai said that inatead of politicising the issue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar should ensure proper legal arguments were made in the Supreme Court to secure a favorable order for the State.

“Phase 1 of the project received orders back in 1975 following the Bachawat Tribunal award, when the Congress was in power at the Centre. However, it took 14 years just to prepare the DPR,” he said.

Mr. Bommai said he would release comparative data on the progress made during the Congress and the non-Congress governments. In fact, the non-Congress governments had contributed the most to implementing the UKP, he claimed.

On Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayaraddi’s statement that the Centre had not issued a gazette notification, he said Mr. Rayaraddi often forgot facts. Mr. Rayaraddi had earlier claimed the Krishna B Scheme was not feasible, yet later inaugurated a project where water was supplied to his constituency, he said.

Mr. Bommai explained that since Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have all approached the Supreme Court, the matter is under hearing. Arguments from three States have been completed, and once all hearings conclude, the tribunal’s order will be treated as a Supreme Court decree.

Leader of Opposition R. Ashok and others were also present.