Karnataka   

Up in arms over State’s move Ground truth

— A file photo

Determined: Farmers holding a protest in Sorab town against the proposed Dandavati Irrigation Project.

The proposed Dandavati Irrigation Project in Sorab taluk of Shimoga district seems to have run into trouble again in view of the opposition to it by the local people.

Protests are going on in the taluk under the banner of the Anti-Dandavati Project Action Committee, as the new Government has accorded administrative approval to it.

The protesters are apprehensive about the adverse impact of the project on their lives, and are obstructing the survey in Jedigere and Maruru villages of the taluk to study its feasibility.

They have even gone to the extent of threatening to commit “mass suicide” if the project plan is not given up.

What has irked the people is the likely submergence of vast stretches of fertile land.

The Dandavati which originates at Kuppe, near Ulivi in Sorab taluk, joins the Varada at Bankasana, also in Sorab taluk.

The proposed plan envisages construction of a dam at Jedigere, about 5 km from Sorab town, to store 2.6 tmcft of water to irrigate about 18,000 acres in 53 villages of Sorab taluk in Shimoga district and Hanagal and Hirekerur taluks in Haveri district.

The project is likely to submerge nearly 1,950 acres of agricultural and forest land in the taluk.

The Dandavati project was first mooted by the then MLA for Sorab V.S. Lakshmikantappa in 1966.

It was approved by the S. Nijalingappa government, and Rs.1.61 crore was released for taking up the survey.

The project was later shelved, as S. Bangarappa, who represented the Sorab in the Assembly from 1967 to 1995, did not favour it for the reason that it was not feasible — both economically and technically.

The Chief Engineer of the Irrigation Department indicated in his letter to the president of the Anti-Dandavati Irrigation Project Action Committee, Vamana Gowda, in 1989 that the project had not been found feasible after a study, which gave a push to those opposing it. Kumar Bangarappa, who became Sorab MLA, also was not in favour of the project.

He suggested that mini irrigation projects, such as construction of barrages across the river, be taken up instead of one major irrigation project to avoid submergence of land.

But B.S. Yeddyurappa as Deputy Chief Minister in the Janata Dal (S)-BJP coalition government announced that the project would be implemented at any cost.

He also made an initial budgetary allocation of Rs. 25 crore for it.

Now that the new Government is committed to the implementation of the project, it has ordered a fresh survey to study its (project’s) feasibility after according administrative approval.

When asked for his reaction, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Hartalu Halappa, who represents Sorab in the Assembly, said no final decision had been taken.

The Government was prepared for any changes in the plan if the people so desire.

PRAMOD MELLEGATTI IN SHIMOGA

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Karnataka Cabinet to be expanded
Minister’s remark surprises many
‘Stop throwing plastic waste everywhere’
Fisherman dies
Up in arms over State’s move Ground truth
Two dead, 13 injured in accident
Interactive meets with farm outfits, industries to be held
Cabinet likely to be expanded in the next four days
Bus passes to be issued today
Language policy: meet on verdict today
Water Adalat

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu