MYSURU: Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol said on Friday that Karnataka has the potential to expand irrigation to more than 10 lakh hectares of land and reiterated that the state government was firm on implementing the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project despite objection from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Accusing Tamil Nadu of coming in the way of Karnataka’s irrigation projects by not sharing water, he said Karnataka has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore in the budget for Mekedatu project, Rs 5,000 crore for Upper Krishna Project and Rs 3,000 crore for the Yettinahole project.
Speaking after inaugurating a workshop on implementation of an emergency action plan for KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Chikkahole dams here, he stressed on people’s participation in conservation of water and preservation of water bodies.
Karjol said there are 231 major and minor irrigation dams across the state through which 2,810 cusecs of water has been generated for irrigation on more than 30 lakh hectares of land which can be further expanded to 10 lakh hectares. The state has 64 lakh hectares of agricultural land and increase in irrigation area would empower the farming community and further contribute to food production.
Lauding the erstwhile Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar of Mysuru royal family for constructing the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir that has given a boost to irrigation in the region and also fulfilled drinking water needs of the people, he said that the government has in phases replaced sluice gates and the process will be completed soon that would put an end to wastage of water.
Minister urges farmers to vacate encroached canals
The minister said that the old crest gates should be exhibited at a museum to make people understand the technology that was adopted a century ago instead of discarding it as scrap.Karjol regretted that farmers and people have encroached reservoir bends, feeder canals and irrigation canals and urged them to vacate the facilities for encouraging conservation.
Hinting that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will make more announcements during his visit to KRS to offer bagina in the brimming reservoir next week, he assured that more funds would be released for the development and facelift of Brindavan Garden, a sought-after tourist destination in Mysuru.
He said that musical fountains will also be replaced in the days to come.
Srirangapatna MLA Ravindra Srikantaiah said that thousands of people living in villages close to the Cauvery are worst affected by floods over the years and have lost their crops, property and houses as the irrigation officials for dam safety release heavy discharge of water into the river that has affected Mandya, Koppal, Doddapalya, Chikka Palya, Ganjam, a few wards of Srirangapatna town and other places.
Stressing on the need to construct protective walls all along Cauvery river in Srirangapatna taluk, he said the KRS reservoir is safe and strong and slammed MP Sumalatha for expressing fear on the safety of the reservoir that had created panic among the farmers.