BELGAUM: The Minister for Water Resources, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, on Wednesday asked the officials in the Irrigation Department to speed up work on various irrigation projects and complete them on time.

Speaking to presspersons after inspecting the progress of the Markandeya Irrigation project near Shirur village about 35 km from here, he said that since Andhra Pradesh is moving fast on irrigation projects, Karnataka must complete the works expeditiously to utilize its share of water in the Krishna and the Godavari basins.

Although the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, had assured justice to Karnataka vis-à-vis Andhra Pradesh going ahead with its 11 "illegal" projects, "we have to be alert and keep pursuing the Centre to protect the interest of the State, and especially of the farmers of north Karnataka," said Mr. Kharge. The State has already filed a special petition before the Central Water Tribunal through its counsel F.S. Nariman on the illegal projects issue, he added.

Kalasa-Banduri Nala

Mr. Kharge assured that efforts would be made to convince the new Government in Goa that the implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project to divert 7 tmcft for drinking water supply to Hubli-Dharwad would not affect the water requirement of Goa. The Central Water Commission (CWC) had already cleared the proposal, but the NDA Government had stalled the proposal following objections raised by the previous Government in Goa, he said.

Mr. Kharge said that the Krishna Neeravari Nigam had taken up seven new lift irrigation works in Irrigation North Zone, in Belgaum across the Hiranyakeshi, Bellarinala, Rameshwar Lift Irrigation scheme, Javaluhalli Lift Irrigation scheme, Bennihalla Lift Irrigation scheme, Konnur Lift Irrigation scheme and Kolachi Lift Irrigation scheme.

Funds

The Government had sanctioned Rs. 415 crore for these schemes. The collective irrigation potential of the seven schemes would be nearly 30,000 hectares in the Irrigation North zone, he said.

Instructing the Nigam officials to achieve both financial and physical targets, he assured greater flow of funds to expedite the works.

Asked whether the Government would consider adopting the same policy in road works too, where they make the contractors accountable for poor quality and delay in completion of works leading to the escalation of project costs, Mr. Kharge said the Government was aware of the causes for the cost escalation. One of the reasons, the frequent rise in the prices of steel and cement along with other construction materials, had been tackled with the Government providing Rs. 900 crore more than the allocation made during the preceding year. However, although it is a large amount, it would not make any difference at the physical level as the prices of steel and other materials had already gone up, he said.

The Government has so far spent Rs. 272 crores, till the end of May 2005 on the Markandeya irrigation project across the Markandeya. Villagers in the seven villages that had submerged due to the project have been rehabilitated in Waghwedhe and Santibastwad villages near Belgaum, he added.

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