Land delays slow down UBP

Proposal for acquisition was submitted in 2009-10

The Rs 5,985-crore project requires 5,079.75 hectares (one hectare is 2.47 acres) of land including 364.50 hectares of forest land. The project requires 257 acres 07 guntas of forest land for the first package, 219 acres 13 guntas for the second package, and another 423 acres 28 guntas for Chitradurga subcanal. 
The proposal to acquire forest land was submitted to the Forest department in 2009-10.
To make up for the loss of forest cover, an extent of 364.50 hectares had been identified for afforestation programme in Rekhalgere hobli of Challakere taluk. The deputy commissioner of Chitradurga  district has recommended that the State Government hand over the land to the Forest department in February 2011.
Lengthy process
The ball is now in the Forest department’s court. The deputy conservators of forests in Koppa, Bhadravati and Chitradurga ranges - where project sites are located - have to submit their reports. 

The department would consolidate the three reports and forward it to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). 
The technical consultative committee gives it approval only after the MoEF clears the
proposal. 
Permission mandatory
Prior permission from the Union Ministry is mandatory if the forest land proposed to be acquired exceeds 40 hectares, sources said. 

There has been no dearth of funds for the project.
Water supply 

At present, the work to facilitate supply of 21.5 tmc ft water from Bhadra reservoir to the Ajjampura tunnel has been proceeding at Shantipura in Chikkamagalur district.

Simultaneously, the work on supply of 15 tmc ft water from River Tunga to River Bhadra has been launched at Muttinkoppa. 

The works are in progress only at locations where lands have been acquired.

Separate project for TarikereA separate irrigation project has been conceived for Tarikere and surrounding areas in Chikmagalur district. The farmers in the region had expressed their apprehension over the Upper Bhadra project (UBP denying water to their fields.

UBP Chief Engineer R Chaluvaraju said that the separate project would irrigate 13,000 acres through lift irrigation. He said experts have ruled out concerns over the tunnel route for the project.