CHOKED: Silt and weeds in the main canal of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal

Raichur: The proposed modernisation work of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) will commence on May 15.

The Government has provided a budgetary allocation of Rs. 29.5 crore for modernisation of the TLBC from its zero mile stretch at Munirabad to tail-end (141 mile) region in Raichur taluk. Of the allocation, Rs. 9.5 crores has been reserved for remodelling of distributaries and restructuring of their field channels. It also allocated another Rs.11.3 crore for modernisation of distributaries and lining of field channels in the canal systems on right side of the Tungabhadra Project in Bellary district.

The work includes repairs on the lining of the inner and outer bankings, strengthening of canal beds, plugging of leakages and restructuring of culverts and drains at vulnerable stretches in the main canal.

The remodelling of all major distributaries and lining of their field channels will also be taken up simultaneously.

After releasing water for kharif and summer seasons, the TLBC was closed in the first week of April. Repairs will be completed before the release of water into the canal for kharif sowing in July.

The Irrigation Central Zone of Munirabad comprising five divisions, including Vaddarahati in Koppal district and Sindhanur, Manvi, Sirwar and Yermarus in Raichur district, will execute the work.

The Government has appointed a team of experts from the TOR-Steel of India, Bangalore, to set up their quality control units at the specified locations near the main canal in order to monitor the quality of work.

Estimates prepared

Officials of all the divisions have finalised estimates for repair work and submitted them to their central office seeking necessary allocation of funds. Each division had floated tenders separately for repairs in the main canal and distributaries.

It has been scheduled to complete the tender process before May 10 and allocate works to bidders before May 15. According to V.P. Uddihal, chief engineer of the Irrigation Central Zone of Munirabad, the modernisation of the TLBC during this closure period was necessitated to arrest wastage of water released for irrigation in the command areas of Koppal and Raichur districts.

Poor canal structures

Even after strengthening vulnerable portions of the canal in previous years, at least 20 per cent of the water let into the canal was wasted every year owing to poor canal structures in many stretches.

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