Won't let any injustice happen in Hemavati Link Canal Project: K'taka govt tells farmers

Bengaluru, Sep 12 Following the violence and stiff opposition from the BJP and local farmers, the Congress-led government in Karnataka has assured that the government will ensure no injustice in controversial Hemavati Link Canal.

Earlier, violence erupted in May and June 2025 during protests against the Hemavati Express Link Canal Project in Gubbi taluk, Tumakuru district, Karnataka, where an estimated 20,000 farmers, along with BJP and JD (S) legislators and seers, clashed with police, blocked highways, damaged property, and engaged in stone-pelting bringing the work at the Hemavati Link Canal Project to a halt.

After inspecting the Hemavati Link Canal work site near Sunkapur in Tumakuru, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the Water Resources Minister, spoke to the media and made a statement in this regard on Friday.

“I have inspected the work site of the Hemavati Link Canal project and held discussions with officials to ensure that no one is subjected to injustice,” assured Shivakumar.

“No farmer should be worried about this matter. I will discuss with officials in Bengaluru and make decisions to safeguard the interests of the farmers in Tumakuru district. It is not just Kunigal, but all constituencies that matter to us. Let us all work together within the framework of the law. Whatever your problem is, I will resolve it,” he said confidently.

“I have come here to inspect the Hemavati Link Canal project site based on the advice of Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna and legislators. I am not limited to one constituency. I am the Water Resources Minister of Karnataka state. The development of all constituencies in Tumakuru district is our responsibility. The people of Tumakuru have always cooperated with us calmly in every situation,” he added.

“This project was initiated when Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was the CM and I was the Water Resources Minister. Later, the BJP government halted the project. As a result, the project cost of Rs 600 crore has now increased to Rs 1,000 crore. This struggle has been ongoing since the time of late prominent politician Y.K. Ramayya. We have decided to ensure justice. Work has already begun, and we have released Rs 400 crore for pipe procurement and construction. This work is expected to be completed within 4–5 months,” he said.

“From the Cauvery, 177 TMC of water must be released to Tamil Nadu. So far, 220 TMC of water has already been released this year from Hemavati, Harangi, Kabini, and KRS reservoirs. With the possibility of more rainfall in the next 4–5 months, around 200 TMC of water is expected to reach the sea. We must prevent this and help our farmers by channeling the water through canals. This project has been introduced to use the excess water only when available. All taluks are equally important to us,” he said.

“I have inspected the work site. Under no circumstances will the water be allowed to flow below canal levels. We will maintain a consistent height and use SCADA technology to monitor the water flow. We must not allow disputes like the Cauvery water dispute with Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra to arise within our own state," Shivakumar stated.

“We have taken up a project under Ettinahole to supply drinking water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur, and when excess water is available, we will fill the tanks in these districts. We could have designed the project solely for drinking water purposes, excluding filling tanks, but we chose not to waste any surplus water. We are spending Rs 20,000 crore on this project. Through it, we are addressing groundwater depletion,” he stated.

When asked about locals’ demand that the water should flow through the main canals, he said, “It is not possible to change the plan I already decided. We will ensure there are no obstructions to water meant for other taluks. We will provide only the designated water share to Kunigal. There is no question of reducing water for you and giving more to them. During water scarcity, water will be distributed equally to all. Equal rights for everyone.”

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