Tue Jun 24 16:37:07 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text:
**Farmers Protest Water Diversion from Hidkal Dam**
*Belagavi, June 24, 2025* – Members of various farmers’ organizations staged a protest in Hukkeri, Belagavi district, on Monday, condemning the Karnataka state government’s decision to divert water from the Hidkal dam to industrial areas in Dharwad.
Protesters chanted slogans against the government and demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing pipeline construction from Hidkal to Dharwad. They argued that the decision was made unilaterally, without consulting the local irrigation consultative committee, and would negatively impact water availability for agriculture and local communities.
“This will decrease the impounding capacity of the dam, which can lead to water scarcity in Belagavi, Bagalkot, and several villages,” said former Minister Shashikant Naik, a prominent voice at the protest. “It will also reduce water to the fields in several taluks. The primary objective of an irrigation project is to supply water to fields and not industries.”
Naik warned of a district-wide escalation of protests if the government fails to heed their demands and stop the water diversion project. A memorandum was submitted to the state government, outlining the farmers’ concerns and demanding immediate action.
First Piper 