HASSAN: Tanks in the district are facing the threat of encroachment and environmentalists are concerned over the trend of "powerful" people encroaching tanks for agricultural purposes.

Environmentalist, Attihalli Devaraj, said tanks were used to supplement rainfall and provide water to crops at the ripening stage in rain-fed areas of the district. But owing to encroachment, they started disappearing and were now mentioned only in records.

According to sources, there were a good number of tanks in the Malnad region, constructed one below the other to conserve flood and rainwater. There were 240 major tanks and 5,295 minor tanks, which could irrigate 1,03,218 acres in the district. In 1920-21, the Government spent Rs. 51,653 for the construction of new tanks and Rs. 59,638 on repair of tanks. The pre-Independence administration had accorded importance to the preservation of tanks. Works pertaining to tanks were being taken up under various minor irrigation schemes which were being implemented as Plan Schemes. During the First Five Year Plan, an outlay of Rs. 18,41,208 was allocated for minor irrigation works.

By the end of 1967-68, the number of major tanks was 330 and minor tanks 5,538. The most number of tanks are found in Belur taluk, followed by Hassan and Alur taluks. Convenor of the Wildlife and Bird Watchers' Association Hemmige Mohan told The Hindu that of the 330 major and 5,538 minor tanks, 110 and 3,036 tanks respectively, were in the records and these had been encroached to an extent of 20 per cent.

He said there was a possibility of these tanks disappearing too. Members of the association had raised the issue encroachment of tanks and the authorities promised to take steps to check this trend. However, no action had been initiated against encroachers, he said. Minister for Public Works and Energy H.D. Revanna had instructed the authorities concerned in Karnataka Development Programmes meetings to evict encroachers. A senior official said the encroachers were "powerful people" and it was not easy to evict them. If the administration decided to evict encroachers, it would create a law and order problem, he added.

According to authorities, the extent of encroachment is more in Channarayapatna and Arsikere taluks. Hirisave tank in Channarayapatna, Janivarakere in Shravanabelagola, Harnahalli and Kanakatte tanks in Arsikere, and Koushika, Ambuga and Satiganahalli tanks in Hassanare some of the tanks that had been encroached upon, he added. Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat F.R. Jamaadar said steps had been taken to check encroachment.

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