Karnataka - Bellary   

New irrigation schemes on Tungabhadra soon

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELLARY, AUG. 15. Priority would be accorded for optimum utilisation of the waters from the Tungabhadra by rejuvenating and ensuring proper functioning of the existing lift irrigation schemes and also by setting up new ones in the district, M.P. Prakash, Minister for Revenue, said here on Sunday.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Prakash expressed his happiness that the Tungabhadra dam had received a good inflow after three years and that the excess water was being let into the river.

"Ensuring proper functioning of the existing lift irrigation schemes and construction of balancing reservoirs would have prevented water going waste into the river," he said.

He said that he had instructed officials of the Minor Irrigation Department to come out with proposals in this regard. He also said that he had planned to organise a workshop in September to focus on the need for optimum utilisation of water.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister for Water Resources and H.D. Revanna, Minister for Power, would be invited, he added.

Mr. Prakash said that a peoples' movement would be launched on November 1 about the need to inculcate a discipline with regard to judicious use of water and cropping pattern.

He said that the force of law would have to be used if farmers continued to violate the cropping pattern.

In view of good inflow into the reservoir, he said that water could also be released for the second crop.

Until last year, the available water was released to raise only one crop.

A formal decision would have to be taken by the Irrigation Consultative Committee, which would meet soon, he added.

Steel district

Mr. Prakash said that the Jindal group, which had established a multi-crore integrated Steel plant at Toranagal, and the Baldota group among others, had proposed to set up new steel plants in the district.

He also said that a perspective plan for industrial development was underway.

P.G.R. Sindhia, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, who was expected to attend the inauguration of flight services between Bangalore and Toranagal on October 2, would announce the plan, he added.

He also said that he would take up the long-pending issue of the proposal of creating an industrial area near Toranagal to enable setting up of auxiliary industries with the departments concerned.

Drinking water scheme

Mr. Prakash said that a comprehensive drinking water scheme for the entire district had been prepared at an estimated cost of Rs. 348 crores.

The same would be posed to the Puttaparthi Satya Saibaba Trust for financial assistance.

He said that a delegation headed by Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, would soon meet Saibaba and others concerned in this regard.

TTD choultry

Mr. Prakash said that he had requested the chairman of Tirupati Tirumala Devastanam, Subbarami Reddy, to construct a kalyan mantap and set up an information centre and a booking counter for the benefit of devotees in Bellary.

He said that he had also requested Mr. Reddy to make use of one of the buildings in the Cultural Complex here for propagation of the Dasa Sahitya.

Opposition

With regard to the opposition over the appointment of N. Tippanna as the president of the Janata Dal (Secular) State unit, he said that he had spoken to N. Suryanarayan Reddy, Kurgodu MLA, and had persuaded him to withdraw his decision to resign.

"Mr. Suryanarayan Reddy has responded positively and the issue has been resolved," he said.

Mr. Prakash was not clear with regard to the party workers charge of Mr. Tippanna working against the party candidates, including him, in the recent elections.

"I have never said so. Had that been the case, I would have brought it to the notice of the party's disciplinary committee," he said.

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

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• New irrigation schemes on Tungabhadra soon
• Freedom fighters honoured

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu