BENGALURU: The special cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Tuesday decided to implement the ambitious Upper Krishna Project (UKP) Phase-3.
The project requires 1.33 lakh acres and also involves increasing the height of the Almatti dam from 519.6 metres to 524.256 metres which will increase storage capacity by 100 tmcft and ensure irrigation of 5.94 lakh hectares. One of Karnataka’s massive irrigation projects, UKP Phase-3 will cost Rs 70,000 crore, and every year, about Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 crore will be spent. The current capacity of the Almatti dam, also known as Lal Bahadur Shastri Reservoir, is 123.08 tmcft.
Calling the cabinet’s decision historic, CM Siddaramaiah urged the Union Government to issue the gazette notification on the Krishna Tribunal-2 award that grants permission to Karnataka to raise the height of the Almatti dam to make use of its share of the Krishna waters.
“It has been 12 years since the final award was pronounced. We have met union ministers concerned, including the Jal Shakti minister, several times. But the Centre is yet to issue the gazette notification,” the CM said. He, however, clarified that since the canal construction work has already commenced, the notification will not affect the project.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar echoed Siddaramaiah’s statement and said that Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil postponed the meeting with the state’s representatives twice owing to political pressure from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
“Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has said that his state will approach the Supreme Court against Karnataka increasing the height of Almatti dam. We will fight it separately politically and will not discuss it for now,” said Shivakumar, who also holds the water resources portfolio.
Shivakumar further said that both he and Siddaramaiah have met Patil several times, following which the Central Minister gave in-principle approval to issue the gazette notification. “There is no need to worry, as the minister has written that he will reschedule the meeting.
Therefore, we are preparing for the implementation of the project,” the Deputy CM said, adding that he is confident that neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will agree to Karnataka increasing the dam’s height, as it will also benefit them. “We are only going to utilise the excess water flowing into the sea. The only thing that is pending in this regard is the gazette notification,” he said.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah said that the project requires 1,33,867 acres, including 75,563 acres that will get submerged, 51,837 acres for canals, and 6,469 acres for rehabilitation, adding that 20 villages and 11 wards of Bagalkot town will also get submerged.
Compensation
Siddaramaiah said that the government will provide compensation of Rs 40 lakh per acre for irrigated land and Rs 30 lakh per acre for dry land to farmers whose lands will be acquired for the project. Farmers whose irrigated lands will be taken for canals will get a compensation of Rs 30 lakh per acre and Rs 25 lakh for those who spare their dry land.
The CM said that the compensation was decided following a meeting with all the stakeholders. Siddaramaiah said that the project did not take off during the previous BJP government, as no farmer agreed to the compensation fixed by the then cabinet subcommittee (Rs 24 lakh per acre of irrigated land and Rs 20 lakh per acre of dry land).
Authority to be set up: DKS
Shivakumar said that an authority will be set up as part of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as about 20,000 cases have reached the court. “As per the provision of the Act, it has been decided to settle these cases under the Conciliation Act. Lands that are not in court will be purchased directly from farmers,” Shivakumar said. There is a provision to form a Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Authority under Section 51 of India’s Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, he said.
“Thus, the State Government will form the authority headed by a sitting or a retired judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the High Court,” he said.