MYSORE: Minister for Water Resources K.S. Eshwarappa visited the Taraka reservoir in H.D. Kote taluk near here on Tuesday to review relief work following the collapse of one of the crest gates on Friday night.

The Minister who arrived at the Taraka dam site in the afternoon held discussions with officials of the Irrigation Department.

Later, while speaking to presspersons, he said the report submitted by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam official and gate expert Ramakrishnappa had pointed out defects in the gate fabrication as the prime reason for the mishap.

Compensation

He said, "The primary focus of the State Government is to repair and install the crest gate and award compensation to farmers who have suffered crop loss."

Mr. Eshwarappa said the Government would ensure supply of water from Taraka reservoir for irrigation purposes on a continuous basis from the next year.

Action against officials

He promised that action would be taken against officials whose laxity caused the crest gates to crash and added that they would be dealt with strictly after receiving the inquiry report.

He said, "In the light of the mishap here, we have directed the officials to check the crest gates in all the reservoirs to avert any other mishaps."

Committee's decision

To a question on the rationale behind not releasing water for irrigation purposes even though the water level had reached the brim, Mr.Eshwarappa said the Irrigation Consultative Committee had taken a decision and that farmers also did not need water.

Local MLA M.P. Venkatesh did not have any role to play in the decision, he added.

Mr. Eshwarappa said the Janata Dal (S)- Bharatiya Janata Party coalition Government was spending Rs. 1,447 crore in an effort to complete 30 to 35 projects that had been pending to augment irrigation facilities.

Projects

Eleven projects in the Cauvery basin had been taken up at a cost of Rs. 168 crore of which three were nearing completion, he added.

Meanwhile, though the flow of water from the reservoir had reduced drastically, water at the rate of 700 cusecs was flowing out.

The sources said water flow could stop by Wednesday afternoon and that already 1.7 tmc ft of water had gushed out since Friday night.

Earlier, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader K.S. Puttanaiah visited the dam site and interacted with the farmers.

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