Southern States - Karnataka   

Panel on irrigation calls for water distribution by rotation

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Dec. 9. The committee constituted by the State Government to recommend measures for the effective use of water for irrigation has suggested a "rotational water distribution system".

The final report of the committee was released by the Minister for Water Resources, H.K. Patil, here today.

Mr. Patil told presspersons that the Government would take steps to implement the recommendations of the committee. It was already implementing the steps suggested by the committee in its interim report, he said.

The final report has strongly recommended rotational distribution of water in the distributaries, sub-distributaries, laterals, sub-laterals, and outlets as against the present system of continuous flow of water in the canals. According to the report, the "on and off system" of water supply with an interval of 14 days is most suited to the irrigation of crops in the Upper Krishna Project area. However, the new system should be introduced only a month after the irrigation season begins to facilitate the preparation of land and sowing.

The report has suggested that water should be released into the canals in the last week of May and shut off by the end of February.

The report has also recommended a new pattern of cropping to achieve the envisaged irrigation intensity of 115 per cent and suggested 57.50 per cent of the irrigated area for kharif (bajra, jowar, maize, groundnut, sunflower, soya bean, green gram, cowpea and vegetables); bi-seasonal crops (red gram, chilli, cotton, onion, turmeric, horticultural crops including medicinal and aromatic plants, floriculture, and sericulture); rabi (wheat, jowar, bengal gram, sunflower and groundnut).

The report strongly recommends the sowing of horticultural and high-value crops in at least five per cent of the UKP area. The report also lays stress on participatory irrigation management for the utilisation of the irrigation potential created.

Another suggestion made by he committee is to amend the Karnataka Irrigation Act, 1965 suitably to prevent the sale of land by farmers in the command area.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Plan to give farmers power subsidy in cash
• Two killed, four injured in group clash in Athani taluk
• Souharda Vedike plans rally in Chikmagalur on December 28
• Panel on irrigation calls for water distribution by rotation
• BJP plans indefinite dharna
• Gulbarga district to have five new taluks

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu