The Hindu : Karnataka / Bellary News : JD(S) asks Andhra Pradesh to release funds

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Wednesday, Aug 04, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bellary

JD(S) asks Andhra Pradesh to release funds

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELLARY, AUG. 3. The Bellary district unit of the Janata Dal (S) has urged the Government of Andhra Pradesh to release funds for strengthening and modernising the high-level and low-level canals on the right bank of the Tungabhadra Reservoir.

The Janata Dal (S) has decided to organise a farmers' rally here on Friday to draw the attention of the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Governments to the plight of farmers in the command area because of the breaches in the two canals.

Delegation

A farmers' delegation would meet the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, the Minister for Water Resources, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, and the Minster for Revenue, M.P. Prakash, and apprise them of the need to take up with the matter with the Andhra Pradesh Government.

The decision of the Janata Dal (S) to chalk out a plan of action has come in the wake of the high-level canal breaching on Monday affecting water supply. The release of water into the canal can be expected only after about a week. Till then, agricultural operations will be affected.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, N. Pratap Reddy, Secretary of Janata Dal (S) State unit, claimed that farmers in the Tungabhadra command area were at the mercy of Andhra Pradesh as that State Government was not keen on releasing funds for repairs/maintenance and strengthening of the canals.

Agreement

The Tungabhadra Board maintained the two canals, constructed nearly 50 years ago, up to the Karnataka border.

According to an agreement, the Andhra Pradesh Government had released funds for maintenance and repairs of the canals.

The share of Karnataka would be adjusted/reconciled at the level of Comptroller and Auditor General later.

About 3,000 cusecs of water had to be released into the high-level canal to cater to the irrigation needs of Bellary, Sirguppa, Hospet and Sandur taluks and Andhra Pradesh.

But the carrying capacity of the canals had come down because of the bunds losing strength and the resultant breaches, he pointed out.

The discharge should be about 3,000 cusecs to cater to the irrigation needs of Karnataka and to meet the indents of 1,800 cusecs of water placed by Andhra Pradesh. To maintain the discharge, the canals should be strengthened failing which there would be frequent breaches and farmers would be denied their legitimate share of water and forced to face hardship, he said.

Plan

According to him, the Tungabhadra Board has identified vulnerable stretches in the high-level canal. It has prepared a plan to strengthen the bunds at an estimated cost of Rs. 46 crores.

Similarly, another plan for strengthening the low-level canal at an estimated cost of Rs. 72 crores was prepared and sent to the Andhra Pradesh Government for the release of funds. As against this, the Andhra Pradesh Government has allocated Rs. 12 crores in its Budget. It has released only about Rs. 2 crores for maintenance and repairs of the canals.

Caution

Mr. Reddy said the farmers might disrupt supply of water to Andhra Pradesh if that State government did not take steps to release funds to implement the plan prepared by the Tungabhadra Board to strengthen the canals.

Mr. Reddy expressed concern over the loss of 700 cusecs because of evaporation being reported by the Tungabhadra Board. He urged the Tungabhadra Board to make a proper study of the causes for water loss and initiate steps to plug leaks.

With regard to non-payment of compensation to farmers in and around the Kampli area for crop loss and land becoming uncultivable because of a breach in the two canals in 2002, the Tungabhadra Board had agreed to settle the matter by September 10, he said.

He said the Government had instructed the assistant commissioner and tahsildar to assess the extent of damage to corps and land caused by the high-level canal breach on Monday and submit a report within a couple of days.

Cloud seeding

Mr. Reddy said the Government would be urged to take up cloud seeding in Bellary district too. According to him, the district reeled under severe drought in the past three years. If cloud seeding is taken up this year, it will help farmers

Revanasiddaiah, former MLA, a farmer leader, Bheemaneni Kondaiah, the former Chairman of the command area development authority, H. Hanumanthappa, were present.

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