Karnataka - Bijapur   

Farmers seek extension of Indi irrigation scheme

Staff Corrspondent

They want the canal system to be built up to 147-km point

A stretch of the Indi Lift Irrigation Scheme main canal in Sindagi taluk.

BIJAPUR: The delayed Indi Lift Irrigation Scheme (ILIS), a component of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP), is again in focus as farmers have launched an agitation under the banner of the Indi Etha Neeravari Horata Samiti. After staging a dharna at Thamba village in Indi taluk for over two weeks, they are on a hunger strike.

Their main demand is that the ILIS should be implemented up to 147 km, as per what they call the original plan, instead of up to 97 km. They want the Government to order a survey and prepare an estimate of the cost of the project if it is to be implemented beyond 97 km.

If a canal system between 97 km and 147 km is built, it can irrigate 46,700 acres in Indi taluk. It will benefit drought-prone villages such as

Thamba, Shivpur, Benakanahalli, Atharga, Thennahalli, Gornal, Tadavalaga, Bolegaum, Hirerugi, Ganavalaga, Gopu Naik Thanda, Revu Naik Tanda, Saatpura, Indi, Bheerappana Thanda, Chavadihal, Choragi, Chikkabenur, Anjutagi, Ramapur, Ballolli, Gundavan, Baradol,

Godihal and Havinal. The agitation is receiving support from the people.

However, according to sources in Krishna Jala Bhagya Nigam Limited (KBJNL), the agency executing the UKP, it is not easy for the Government to accept the demand in isolation as it is among 23 major irrigation projects to utilise surplus waters of the Krishna under Scheme `B' of the Bachawat Tribunal award.

But they say the Government may approve a survey.

Work on the first phase of the ILIS, with a canal system up to 97 km, planned under Scheme `A' of the Bachawat Tribunal award, is not yet done. The first phase has been allocated 11.48 tmcft of water, with which an area of 1,03,500 acres is to be irrigated in Surpur and Sindagi taluks.

As per the initial schedule, the project should have been completed before 2000. Because of the delay, the initial outlay of Rs. 160 crore was increased to Rs. 319.74 crore. Of this, the KBJNL has utilised Rs. 263.36

crore, and it plans to complete the project by September. Construction of a pump-house at Kembavi is over. Two of five motor pumps, each of 3,600

HP, are already at the worksite. A 110 KV power line is being drawn.

The 44 distributaries and laterals are ready. Work on feeder channels is nearing completion.

Trial run

If it progresses according to schedule, the trial run will start by August-end, and a major portion of the command area will receive water in the rabi season.

Did the Government change the "original" plan and shorten the proposed canal system as alleged?

Sources in the KBJNL say there has been no change in plan. A canal system beyond 97 km was not envisaged under Scheme `A' of the Bachawat Tribunal award.

It was not among projects cleared by the Central Water Commission and other authorities.

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Farmers seek extension of Indi irrigation scheme

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