The Hindu : Karnataka News : Projects planned to ease drinking water scarcity

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Friday, Jan 21, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Projects planned to ease drinking water scarcity

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, JAN. 20. Three Tumkur-based organisations have taken the initiative to find a permanent solution to the drinking water scarcity in all districts.

They have evolved four different projects and are in the process of drawing up two more.

The organisations are Abhavapeeditha Pradeshagala Neeravari Abhivriddhi Salaha Samiti, Rajya Samagra Neeravari Horata Samiti, and Abhivriddhi.

Lists

As many as 36,696 tanks have been identified for the purpose.

A list of 6,124 villages, where they propose to build new tanks, has also been drawn up.

It is estimated that 526 tmcft water will be required to fill the tanks thrice a year, once in the rainy season and twice in the summer.

The president of Salaha Samiti and retired irrigation engineer, G.S. Paramashivaiah, has drawn up these projects.

First, second project

He said that the first project envisages use 84 tmcft of water from the west-flowing Netravati, 42 tmcft from the Bhadra, and 8 tmcft from the Tunga.

Water from these sources would then be let into 10,293 tanks in 43 taluks in Tumkur, Hassan, Mandya, Kolar, Chikmagalur, Bangalore Rural, and Bangalore Urban districts.

The second project, according to Mr. Paramashivaiah, envisages utilisation of 79 tmcft of water from Tunga river to fill 2,940 tanks in 27 taluks in Tumkur, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Davangere, Bellary, and Kolar districts.

Aerial survey

He said that the previous Government had allocated Rs. 15.49 crores for an aerial survey to check the feasibility of the projects.

The survey, which was to be completed by September 2004, has been delayed.

The third and fourth projects have been submitted to the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, seeking the release of an additional fund of Rs. 2 crores to complete the aerial survey as soon as possible.

The officials concerned have been directed to process them.

The third project proposes to use 74 tmcft of water from the Netravati, 8 from the Seeta, and 3 from Yennehole.

Water will be let into 9,177 tanks in 17 taluks in Shimoga, Davangere, Haveri, Dharwar, and Gadag districts.

The fourth project envisages to use 62 tmcft of water from Aghinashini, and 120 tmcft from Bedthi to fill 1,486 tanks in 35 taluks in Bagalkot, Bidar, Gulbarga, Koppal, Raichur, and Bijapur districts.

Two projects

Mr. Paramashivaiah said the other two projects that he was working on were to provide water to 2,191 tanks in 21 taluks in Belgaum, Mysore, Chamarajnagar, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Kodagu districts.

The president of the Horata Samiti and former Tumkur MP, G.S. Basavaraju, said that Mr. Dharam Singh was willing to pursue the projects.

Meeting

He said that he would convene a meeting in Bangalore to forge a common strategy to demand early action by the Government.

He said that he would convene a meeting for all MPs, MLAs, and MLCs and seek their support in seeking permission to implement the projects from both the Union and the State Governments.

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