Mahadayi row: BJP MLA Umesh Katti attacks BSY, demands separate North Karnataka state

Agencies

October 18, 2019

Sankeshwar, Oct 18: Slamming Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa for his remarks in favour of Maharashtra on the Mahadayi river water dispute, BJP legislator Umesh Katti on Friday said that the latter should first solve the water crisis in north Karnataka or else a new state should be bifurcated from the region.

"Without implementing the Mahadayi project, giving such statements is strongly condemnable. If he is not able to release water to north Karnataka and solve the crisis there or else Yeddyurappa should bifurcate the state and give us a new state. I will fight for this till my last breath. Solapur and Sangli (in Maharashtra) should be included in the new state," he said at a press conference here.

Katti's comments came after Yeddyurappa had recently said at an election rally in Maharashtra that the Karnataka government will release Mahadayi water to the state.

"The bilateral talks between the Maharashtra and Karnataka can solve the issue while the situation remains like this. But Maharashtra did not release water when we requested them even after seven years. The Mahadayi project has also not yet started," Katti said.

He claimed that Yeddyurappa's comment was just to "attract the voters" in Maharashtra.

"42 taluks in North Karnataka depend on Mahadayi water. 40 TMC of water which was allotted to the state government is needed to be utilised at this point of time. So, the statement made by BS Yeddyurappa is not appropriate," the BJP leader said.

Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra have conflicting interests on the issue of sharing Mahadayi river water. While the river originates in Karnataka, a major part of it flows in Goa and briefly in Maharashtra.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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