JOIN USIrrigation dept unveils development plan
He clarified that the Government would not bring down the irrigated area in the Cauvery basin irrespective of the Cauvery Waters Tribunal’s verdict on irrigated land.
He was delivering his keynote address at a public programme organised as part of Chief Minister offering Bagina to Cauvery at the Brindavan Gardens here on Monday. The irrigation department has completed replacement and modernisation of nine sluice gates of the dam out of the total 16 gates. The modernisation on the remaining gates would be completed by February next year, when platinum jubilee will be a grand affair, he said.
The Minister said the department has chalked out plans for the modernisation of Visvesvaraya canal and the smaller canals in the Cauvery basin. “About three rounds of meeting with the officials and engineers is over to give a shape to the development project. It will be soon placed before the cabinet for approval,” the Minister disclosed.
He said 40 out of 100 tanks in the Cauvery basin in and around Mandya district have been replenished and revived till now. The remaining lakes would also be taken up for revival after the budgetary allocation in the next year’s budget. For the first time, the Government proposes to give a modern touch and revive old canals constructed during the period of Maharajas. Also, the department has completed nine lift irrigation projects in the Cauvery basin so far. The works on the remaining pending lift irrigation projects would be completed soon.
The Government has proposed Rs 140 crore project for the modernisation canals and for new lift irrigation projects in the Hemavathi and Mandagere basin. These projects would also help the Mysore district as it would cover the K R Nagar taluk, he said. The pending lift irrigation projects in Kabini would also be taken up and completed soon, he added.
Chief Minister Yeddyurappa assured to give early clearance to all the irrigation projects in Cauvery and Hemavathi, he said.