BIJAPUR: Minister for Rural Water Supply Govind Karjol has said that Rs. 25 crores will be spent to rejuvenate the old drinking water supply scheme of Bijapur city. The scheme was abandoned ever since the new one came into existence in the late 1990s.

Mr. Karjol told presspersons here on Monday that the proposal includes strengthening of main pipelines between the city and the water lifting point (pumphouse) near Kolhar on the banks of the Krishna and power transmission lines, and replacing damaged pipes and equipment. If the old one is put to use, pressure on new the scheme, which has now been overburdened, will come down.

He has spoken to Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who holds the Finance portfolio, about the scheme and the latter has agreed to make necessary allocation in the Budget, he added.

New scheme

On the Rs. 202-crore project aimed at filling 108 minor irrigation tanks in the district by pumping water from the Bhima and the Krishna, the Minister said it will be commissioned under the Union Government-sponsored Bharat Nirman Yojna. The proposal has been sent to the Centre for approval. There are eight sub-packages in the scheme, and they will be executed in phases.

On the water scarcity in the district, Mr. Karjol said the district administration has sent an action plan with an estimated cost outlay of Rs. 9.66 crores. Funds will be released in instalments.

Severe water scarcity is expected in Bijapur and Indi taluks this summer. Already water sources have dried up in 18 villages, which are getting water through tankers.

Voicing concern over the depletion of water table in the district and elsewhere, he said if the present pace of drawing of groundwater continues, the State will have little groundwater by 2020. Making rainwater harvesting a mass movement is the only solution for this. New borewells will not be allowed without building percolation pits around them, he said.

Referring to the pilot project of rainwater harvesting being implemented in Mundargi (Gadag), Sira, Pavagada (Tumkur), and Bagepalli (Kolar), Mr. Karjol said Rs. 15 crores will be spent in four years. The project includes construction of check dams, small barrages across rivulets and percolation pits.

Ration cards

Mr. Karjol, who also holds Food and Civil Supplies portfolio, said that during the recent survey taken up to identify the below poverty line and above poverty line families, and in Bijapur district alone the staff found 17,000 houses locked.

It is assumed that these families largely belong to labour class, and most of them have migrated to other places in search of jobs.

Steps have been taken to enlist them as BPL or APL families so that they are not deprived of subsidised foodgrain benefits.

Earlier, Mr. Karjol reviewed the progress of development works with district officials.

Bijapur MLA Appasaheb Pattanshetti, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mohsin, zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rajiv Ranjan, and Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Shridhar Participated in the programme.

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