The Hindu : Karnataka News : Dogged by delay Ground truth

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Monday, Jul 28, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Dogged by delay Ground truth

Work on the project is going on for nearly 40 years

The incomplete Rangayyanadurga Dam at Molakalmur taluk of Chitradurga district.

Work on the Rangayyanadurga Dam in Molakalmur taluk of Chitradurga district has been going on and on. The works were started nearly 40 years ago and they are still not complete.

In 1973, the Government mooted the construction of Rangayyanadurga Dam to irrigate 3,272 hectares.

Allegations of misappropriation and delay in allocation of funds have dogged the project, resulting in the project cost escalating from Rs. 7.3 crore to Rs. 16 crore.

The plan was to construct a dam across Chinagarihalla lake that would hold about 10.5 tmcft of water, which could be used to irrigate lands in some 10 villages in the catchment area of the lake.

According to an official involved in the project, the Government did not set any deadline for completion of the project. In the beginning, the work was entrusted to the Public Works Department, and later handed over to the Karnataka Land Army.

After a few years, the job was given to the Minor Irrigation Department. The reason for the frequent changes is believed to be the poor quality work of these agencies.

The Minor Irrigation Department took over the work in 1995, but the Government did not release funds. Later, the works resumed with assistance from NABARD.

Farmers, however, alleged that the officials connected with the project had misused funds, and were delaying the completion of the project.

“Even though we staged protests, neither the elected representatives nor the officials have taken the issue seriously. Even the crucial canals works have not been completed fully”, said Konche Shivarudrappa, a farmers’ activist.

The official, however, claimed that about 95 per cent work had been completed, which includes construction of the 14 km long Right Bank Canal (RBC) and the 16 km long Left Bank Canal (LBC).

He said that a Rs. 1-crore proposal had been sent to the Government to complete the project. “We hope the funds will be released shortly, and the works completed in six months,” he said.

Firoz Rozindar in Chitradurga

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