Encroachment on 2k lakes to be cleared by next March

The Minor Irrigation department aims to clear encroachments on an estimated 2,259 lakes by next March, said Minor Irrigation minister Shivaraj Tangadagi on Wednesday.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru after a meeting with the department officials, Tangadagi said that stringent action will also be taken against the encroachers. The department, which plans to erect fences around the lakes and also clean Rajakaluves, has set aside Rs 90 crore for the  exercise.

The minister said that taluk-wise tenders have been floated, and that as many as 2,000 to 3,000 lakes will be taken up annually under the encroachment clearance drive.

All lakes under the jurisdiction of municipalities, zilla, taluk and gram panchayats will be developed in a phased manner.

Tangadagi also said that as many as 5,000 lakes will be taken up for development under the Jala Samvardhana scheme and assistance would be sought either by the World Bank or Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The department will also be building check dams on the Rajasthan model in the parched districts of Gadag, Koppal, Tumakuru, Raichur, Vijayapura, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagar and Chitradurga. A budget of Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for each district for the purpose.