Title: Regarding drinking water scheme for Mahadeshawar Hills, Karnataka.
$ SHRI M. SHIVANNA (CHAMARAJANAGAR): Mr Speaker Sir, I wish to draw the kind attention of the august House to a very important issue of drinking water. Malai Mahadeshawar Hills is a very important pilgrim centre in South India. During its annual utsav more than one and a half lakh devotees assemble at the temple. Unfortunately there is no drinking water facility and that is why the trustee of the temple have allocated about seven crore rupees for a project to provide drinking water. In fact half of this amount has already been spent and the final map is ready. The water has to be drawn from Kaveri river through tubes. Tamil Nadu Government and Karnataka Government have expressed their willingness to extend their helping hand to this project as devotees from both State throng the temple every year to attend the annual festival. But strangely the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has not cleared this project till today. This project does not reduce the forest area in any way. Trees will not be cut and the entire forest area would be safe.
Therefore I do not understand why there is inordinate delay in clearing this vital project by the Union Ministry. Hence, I urge upon the hon. Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singhji and hon. Union Minister Shri A. Raja to clear this very important project without any further delay. I hope and trust that the dream of the people especially the devotees of Malai Mahadeshwara would become a reality very soon.
I thank you Sir and conclude my speech.
$ Translation of the speech originally delivered in Kannada.