The watershed development scheme is going in the district since 2002 and the community based lake maintenance plan comes under this scheme wherein the people themselves will implement the works and later maintain the lakes. Under this scheme already 19 lakes have been transferred.

Out of this all the process for the transfer of 17 lakes has been completed and the present meeting was called to transfer the remaining 89 lakes, said deputy commissioner and watershed development scheme district president S R Umashanker.

District planning coordinating officer S Murthy said, including the 19 lakes in all 124 lakes maintenance had been transferred to the community based group.

Silt removed

Nearly 16 lakh metre of silt had been removed and at the rate of 50 loads per hectare, this has been used in 32,000 hectare agriculture land. This will help in the agriculture production, he said.

In order to strengthen the bund in 86 lakes grass has been planted and in 67 lakes 72,000 saplings have been planted. In order to encourage organic farming more than 40 compost manure and Nadef type manure pits have been dug so that the farmers become aware of this. With the help of agriculture university more than 20 varieties of food crops and horticulture crops have been grown, he said.

In 34 lakhs, seven lakh fishes have been bred and 72 ton fish production has taken place. The Lake association has earned a revenue of Rs 22 lakh. In all 3,964 beneficiaries have been released Rs 79.44 lakh for earning activities.

After the meeting permission was given to transfer  Dhan organisation’s 22 lakes, Narendra organisation’s 10, Mother organisation’s 8, Madhugiri’s 1, 2, 18, Kids organisation’s 5 and Koratagere’s 9 and development organisation’s 5 lakes.

State Planning unit planning and implementation director Devakumar, expert Nanjegowda, assistant executive engineer Venkatesh, district planning unit executive engineer B V Prasad and senior staff and members participated in the meeting.