BIJAPUR: Members of the Indi (Guttibasavanna) Etha Neeravari Horata Samiti plan to take out a weeklong "jatha" from Monday to create awareness among farmers about the need for extending a 97-km canal system under the Indi Lift Irrigation Scheme (ILIS).

Farmers have been staging demonstrations at Thamba for five weeks. They want the canal system to be implemented up to 147th km as per an "original plan".

A relay hunger strike entered its 17th day on Sunday. A large number of farmers participated in the agitation on Sunday.

Minister for Major and Medium Industries Katta Subramanya Naidu, who is Minister in charge of Bijapur district, visited Thamba on June 23 and announced that a survey for extending the canal system would begin shortly. He released copies of a Government Order in this regard, and appealed to farmers to withdraw their agitation. Farmers told him they would consider his request only when work on an extended canal system began.

Samiti president Mallaiah Sarangamath told The Hindu over phone from Thamba the work had not begun. He criticised Mr. Naidu for "not keeping his promise".

He said the Government had sought time till July 10 to find a solution. The samiti would hold a farmers' meeting at Thamba on July 9 for deciding on a course of action, he added.

Mr. Sarangamath said a few legislators from the district had visited the venue of the demonstration and pledged their support. However, they failed to raise the matter in the legislature. If the Government did not take steps to meet the demand by July 10, MLAs from the district should resign and join the agitation, he said.

He said the jatha would cover Shivpur, Atharga, Gornal, Thennahalli, Tadavalaga, Ganavalaga, Bolegaum, Hirerugi, Gopunaik tanda, Revunaik tanda, Saatpura, Indi, Bheerappana tanda, Chawadihal, Choragi, Chikkabenur, Anjutagi, Ramapur, Ballolli, Gundavan, Godihal, Havinal and Baradol. These villages are to benefit from the second phase of the ILIS.

The Managing Director of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited (KBJNL) has asked the Chief Engineer, Irrigation Zone, Kembavi, to prepare tender documents with regard to "field investigation" for the canal system beyond the 97th-km point. The first phase of the project, up to 97th km, is nearing completion and is likely to be inaugurated by August-end. The project envisages irrigation for 1.03 lakh acres of land in the first phase and 46,700 acres in the second phase.

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