Karnataka   

Repair works on TLBC hit as funds lapse

Neglected: A file picture of repair works being carried out on the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal.

Raichur: Water was released into the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) for kharif sowing in its command areas in Koppal and Raichur districts. This was first time that water was let into the canal without taking up any major maintenance in the canal.

Every year, the canal will be closed at least for 75 days during summer to take up major repairs to ensure normal water supply in all the tail-end command areas.

The more-than-five-decade-old TLBC, which irrigates about six lakh acres of land, needs regular maintenance to strengthen its weakened embankments, distributaries and field channels. The Irrigation Central Zone of Munirabad had taken up temporary maintenance of the main canal. But so far, no concrete steps have been taken to strengthen the entire structure of the TLBC owing to shortage of funds. Many distributaries and their field channels, especially in the upper reaches, are in a dilapidated state. This has affected normal water supply to the tail-end regions forcing the farmers to stage dharnas.

During the S.M. Krishna regime, the Government had appointed an expert committee headed by H.C. Chiniwal to conduct thorough inspection of the TLBC and suggest remedies on a permanent basis to end the water shortage problem in the tail-end command areas. The committee submitted its report to the Government when N. Dharam Singh was Chief Minister in the Congress-led coalition Government in the State.

In its report, the committee had suggested the Government to take up a comprehensive improvement of the TLBC by spending Rs. 800 crore for a period of four years. But no steps were taken during the Dharam Singh regime to implement the recommendations of the committee. It failed to release necessary funds to the department concerned to take up annual maintenance.

Later, B.S. Yeddyurappa, when he was Deputy Chief Minister and holding the Finance portfolio, in the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition Government, had also promised to implement the recommendations of the committee. He provided some funds last year to take up annual maintenance of the TLBC.

During this year, when the State was under President’s Rule, the Government released about Rs.25 crore to take up some major improvements in the TLBC. However, the department could utilise the funds. In fact, it called tenders on package system during April to take up the proposed repairs in the canal. But contractors boycotted the tender. Further, the process of calling the modified tenders was also halted following the announcement of elections to the State Assembly.

Except taking up some minor repairs worth Rs. 1.5 crore within the upper reach of the TLBC in Waddahatti division in Koppal district during this closure period, the Irrigation Central Zone was not able to utilise the funds released to it. Nearly Rs. 23 crore had lapsed and it was withdrawn by the Finance Department.

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