BELLARY: Repair and modernisation of the main canals of the Tungabhadra on the right and left banks, and its distributaries, has been taken up in advance this year, V.T. Uddihal, Chief Engineer, Tungabhadra Irrigation Central Zone, has said.

Mr. Uddihal was here to inaugurate a two-day national-level workshop on recent construction practices on expansive soils, embankments and highways organised by the Vijayanagar Engineering College here on Friday.

Allocation

Speaking to presspersons, he said that the State Government has earmarked a sum of Rs. 27 crores in the budget, of which Rs. 17 crores has been set aside for modernising the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal, which irrigates the command area in Koppal and Raichur districts.

The remaining funds will be used to repair and modernise the distributaries. Similarly, the Tungabhadra Board will take up repairs of the high-level and low-level canals on the right bank, which irrigates command areas in Bellary and Sirguppa.

He said that Rs. 10 crores has been set aside and an additional Rs. 5 crores will be allocated soon.

He said that vulnerable stretches of the canals have been identified and priority will be given to repairing them. In addition, repairs of sluices and plugging of leaks will also be taken up. "The modernisation of distributaries, which are almost 50 years old, will help in preventing around 30 per cent wastage of water," he said.

Mr. Uddihal said that the process of calling for tenders is on and the work is likely to be taken up in the next 15 days.

He said that the State Government has decided to construct around 10 balancing reservoirs — four on the right bank and six on the left bank — to augment about 12 to 15 tmcft of water that is being wasted as the capacity of the Tungabhadra reservoir has reduced due to siltation.

A survey for the project has been completed and the State Government has allocated Rs. 2 crores as a nominal grant towards the proposal.

He also said that there is a proposal to augment water at suitable places downstream of the river and later release it to Andhra Pradesh and deduct the same from its quota at the dam.

Study of soils

He also stressed the need for conducting a thorough study and research for taking up irrigation projects on expansive soils such as black cotton soil in the Tungabhadra command areas. He said there is a misconception that frequent breaches in the canals are due to substandard works. He said that a study should also taken up to ascertain to what extent black cotton soil is responsible for the breaches.

Presiding over the function, G. Pompanagoud, president of the Veerashaiva Vidyavardhak Sangha that runs a chain of educational institutions in the district, said that new technology must be used in the construction of buildings, roads and irrigation projects.

P.V. Shivapullaiah, professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, spoke about soil quality and development in the field of construction.

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