HASSAN: Work on rejuvenation of the Channapatnakere tank, which began in November last, has been stopped owing to Union Government's delay in release of funds. With the change in the design, the cost of the project, which was Rs. 4.97 crore initially, has now escalated to Rs. 12.5 crore.

Sources in Hassan Urban Development Authority (HUDA) which is implementing the project, told The Hindu that the Lake Development Authority (LDA) had promised to complete the work in one year, excluding rainy season. Work had been stopped due to delay in release of funds and incessant rain. However, the work would be resumed by August end.

The 140-acre tank with a catchment area of 1,150 acres was a major source of drinking water, before authorities started supplying drinking water from Hemavathi. However, with the fast growth of the city, the extensions and villages falling in the tank's catchment areas, started discharging sewage into the tank. As a result, the water got contaminated.

Tank breached

In 1996, H.D. Revanna, who was the Minister for Housing, decided to breach the tank and store water in only 70 acres instead of 140 acres. He also planned to develop the remaining 70 acres of land to build a spacious bus stand and railway station to meet the growing demands of the city. Amid opposition from the Congress, Mr. Revanna breached the tank and sent a proposal to the Government for bus stand and railway station.

When Congress came to power in 1999, the then MP, G. Puttaswamy Gowda urged the Government to rejuvenate the tank and the Chief Minister S.M. Krishna directed the authorities concerned in this regard. The Hassan City Municipality prepared a Rs. 6.35-crore proposal for the integrated development of the tank and forwarded the same to the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests (MoEF).

Proposals

It was planned to reconstruct the existing waste weir, remove silt, construct bunds on the three sides of the tank, providing chain link fencing, develop a park, construct fountain and rain shelters, boat jetty and island. HUDA had taken up the project under the supervision of Lake Development Authority (LDA) at an estimated cost of Rs. 4.97 crore in November last.

Sources in HUDA disclosed that the Union Government had released Rs. 2.75 crore of the Rs. 4.97 crore. Meanwhile, Mr. Revanna decided to strengthen the bund for the convenience of joggers and the cost escalated by another Rs. 5 crore. A proposal in this regard was sent to Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (KUIDC) and authorities hopeful of getting at least Rs. 3 crore. Sources said that as there was a need to construct a bridge connecting the tank with Holenarsipur Road, a Rs. 2.5 crore proposal had been sent through the LDA, to the Union Government for additional funds.

Meanwhile, plans of Mr. Revanna to construct a spacious bus stand on the 35-acre land earmarked for a park has ignited opposition from environmentalists. However, sources confirmed that the MoEF would not allow any construction in the 140-acre tank area and in case of any such attempt by the authorities, the Government would stop funding the project.

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