14 countries keen on desilting TB dam

Companies from as many as 14 countries have evinced interest to take up the project for desilting Tungabhadra reservoir in Hospet.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Minister for Water Resources M B Patil said that global tenders had been floated for the project and several alternatives such as construction of a balancing reservoir and flood flow canal were being explored.

“The desilting plan has been discussed at various levels. The reservoir has about 35 tmc of silt and 10-foot pit has to be dug in 66,000 acres to deposit this huge quantity of silt. Since Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh share the water, the cost of the project and other details will be worked out after bringing the proposal before Water Management Authority,” the minister said.

A sum of Rs 250 crore was sanctioned for repair and modernisation of Vijayanagar upper and lower bank canals. However, after a resurvey, the project cost has been increased to Rs 451 crore and the government would soon give its approval for the project.

Patil said that the government had taken serious note of increasing violation of crop pattern and water theft in the State.