ALAMATTI (BIJAPUR DISTRICT): While voicing concern over the loss of life and property in floods, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Monday emphasised the need to have better water management that can make the country stronger.

Dr. Kalam said interlinking of rivers could minimise flood havoc and provide water to drought-prone regions. The country was utilising very little quantity of water from the available 4,000 billion cubic metres. The country's food and water requirement had been growing because of the fast growing population. Only planned and better water management meet the challenge.

The President was addressing a gathering here after dedicating to the nation the Upper Krishna Project (UKP), including dam components of Alamatti and Narayanpur.

Dr. Kalam, who was an hour behind schedule, drove straight to Alamatti Dam along with Governor T.N. Chaturvedi, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Water Resources Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and offered "bagina" to the reservoir from the platform. Later at the function venue he pressed the remote button to unveil the dedication stone.

Lauds State

While recognising the immense irrigation potential of the UKP, the President praised the Government for ensuring rehabilitation of displaced families in a better way. Dr. Kalam was unhappy with the unusual delay of the UKP that was formally started in 1964. He said had the project been accomplished in time, the gain would have been immense. The nation lost a whopping Rs. 25,000 crore with regard to irrigation and another Rs. 8,000 crore in terms of power generation due to the inordinate delay, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, in his keynote address, said the UKP received a fillip only after the formation of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd. in 1994. Of Rs. 8,743 crore spent so far, the contribution from the nigam stood at Rs. 7,880 crore. Of the 6.22 lakh hectares target (under UKP), the irrigation potential of 5.42 lakh hectares had been created, and the rest would be completed by March 2007, he said.

The Chief Minister said inter-State water disputes had been creating hurdles in expediting projects and urged the Centre to come out with a comprehensive water policy.

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