Kalaburagi : Members of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha on Thursday blocked traffic on a state highway near Tadkal Cross in Kamalapur taluk, demanding immediate legal action against a Jeevanagi-based ethanol company for allegedly drawing water illegally from Bennethora dam.
Mamashetty alleged that two 100-HP motors had been installed on the riverbank near Nagoor Hazrat Katte Nawaz Dargah and that water was being supplied to the company through a pipeline stretching nearly three kilometres. Alleging irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGS in Nagoor gram panchayat between 2022 and 2025, they demanded a probe and action against those responsible. Stay updated with the latest Hubballi news.
Addressing the protesters, district president Sharanabasappa Mamashetty said inadequate rainfall this year had triggered a severe drinking water crisis in surrounding villages. Residents were being forced to walk several kilometres to fetch water, while livestock too were facing a shortage of drinking water. He criticised the ethanol company for using water from Bennethora dam when local communities were struggling to meet their basic needs. He demanded that the district administration disclose who had granted permission for the water drawal and take immediate steps to stop the supply. He also sought legal action against the company. The protesters additionally raised several civic demands, including an adequate drinking water supply for Tadkal Cross residents, construction of a compound wall around the govt school, and uninterrupted drinking water for students. They also sought a road connecting the main road to the school, installation of CCTV cameras at the junction, and repair of the defunct high-mast streetlight at Herur Cross. A memorandum was submitted to tahsildar Mohammed Mohasin. Several farmers and local leaders participated in the protest. Download the TOI App.