A protest by farmers for comprehensive irrigation facility in Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi district, in Karnataka, entered the second day on May 21.
Farmers’ leaders said they would not call off the protest till the district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi, and senior officials of the Irrigation Department and district administration give them a written assurance about completing all pending projects on time.
On May 21, former MP Ramesh Katti joined the protest, which is led by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leaders Sri Shashikant Guruji and Chunappa Pujari.
Their demands include swift completion of 14 pending medium and small irrigation projects in the taluk, including lift irrigation schemes and tank refilling schemes, payment of compensation to farmers who lost land for various projects, and permanent solution to the drinking water problems in several villages of the taluk.
Mr. Katti said that the government of Karnataka continues to neglect Hukkeri despite the taluk being a part of Yamakanamaradi Assembly constituency, represented by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi. He accused Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, who handles the irrigation portfolio, of focussing on south Karnataka districts. He claimed that the State Government had put some irrigation schemes initiated by Umesh Katti, former minister and his brother, on the back burner.
Mr. Pujari said no major project had been taken up in the taluk despite members of the Katti family being legislators and ministers for nearly four decades. He said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Shivakumar and Satish Jarkiholi had a moral responsibility to develop the taluk that is on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border.
Sri Shashikant Guruji said that the State Government had not learnt any lessons from the 11-day protest by sugarcane farmers in Gurlapur in Belagavi district in October-November 2025. He warned that the protest for comprehensive irrigation projects would spread if the State Government neglects their demands. “The Hidkal dam across the Ghataprabha river is in Hukkeri taluk. It is providing water to three districts, including the industrial area in Dharwad, but there is no water supply to some villages in Hukkeri taluk itself. The State Government should resolve such issues. Otherwise, we will continue the protest,” he said.
Published - May 22, 2026 12:30 pm IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
