BJP MLAs, farmers, seers stage protest opposing Hemavathi Express Link Canal Project in Tumakuru

The opposition BJP MLAs, farmers, and some seers, on Saturday, staged a protest against the Hemavathi Express Link Canal Project at Sankapura in Gubbi of Tumakuru district, opposing the canal work to supply water from Tumakuru to Bengaluru South (earlier known as Ramanagara district).

Protestors resorted to burning tyres and termed the State government’s plan to divert the Hemavathi canal water to neighbouring Bengaluru South district as “unscientific.”

A decision was taken to build an express canal in Tumakuru and the work was started at a cost of ₹1,500 crore. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had directed Home Minister and Tumakuru District In-charge Minister G. Parameshwara to look into any opposition and resolve it.

Temporary suspension

Following protests, the Deputy Commissioner of Tumakuru district announced that a decision was taken to suspend the work for the time being. The protest was then withdrawn.

Earlier, BJP MLAs B. Suresh Gowda, G.B. Jyothi Ganesh joined the protest. Seers from different religious mutts also participated in the protest and were raising anti-government slogans. The protesters sat on the roads disrupting traffic. They used JCB to dump pipes at the project site.

Mr. Gowda warned of intensifying the stir if the government continued work in the coming days. “This is a symbolic protest and we will intensify the protest if the government takes up work after a month,” he said.

He urged the government to call an all-party meeting and announce the complete cancellation of the project. The protesters claimed that this project would be detrimental to several taluks of Tumakuru district.

Based on panel report

Mr Parameshwara said that the work had been taken up based on the report submitted by the technical committee that had okayed it. Speaking to reporters here, the Home Minister said that the BJP’s protest against it was “politically motivated.” BJP had started protesting as soon as work began, he pointed out.

Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Railways and MP representing Tumakuru, V. Somanna, said he wrote to the Chief Minister opposing the project. “The government is hatching a conspiracy to take water to Magadi, Ramanagara and Kanakapura,” he said.

‘Interest of all’

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, said, “I will not say protest is wrong in democracy. We have spoken to BJP leaders and MLAs also. We will safeguard the interests of all the people”. On being asked about Mr Sommana’s letter to the Chief Minister, he said, “We will seek Mr. Somanna’s advice also.”

DyCM rules out stopping work

KPCC chief and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, on Saturday categorially ruled out stopping of the work of the Hemavathi Express Link Canal Project in Tumakuru which aimed to supply water to Bengaluru South district (Ramanagara).

Speaking to reporters here, he said 40% of the project work was completed and there was no question of stopping the work now.

Published - June 01, 2025 01:15 am IST