Paschima Vahini: Work taken up on 11 vented dams in DK

Work on 11 vented dams has been taken up under the Paschima Vahini project in Dakshina Kannada in 2020.

The proposal to construct check dams to deal with the water crisis in the coastal districts was prepared in 2001. The proposal was discussed in 2005 and 2011, but no step was taken to implement it.

When there was stiff opposition for the Yettinahole project in Dakshina Kannada, the state government had promised to implement the Paschima Vahini project.

The Paschima Vahini project was announced in the 2017-18 state budget to raise the groundwater level and help make Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts drought-free at an estimated cost of Rs 1,394 crore.

The government, in the past, had approved of Rs 200 crore in the first phase, Rs 611 crore in the second phase and Rs 583 crore in the third phase for the projects prepared by the Minor Irrigation department.

Expenditure

The work on 11 vented dams in Dakshina Kannada began at an estimated cost of Rs 265 crore and on 14 vented dams at an estimated cost of Rs 52.60 crore in Udupi this year.

“Of the 11 works, the vented dam at Brahmasthana Katta at Niddodi village in Moodbidri has been completed. The work on four vented dams at Thorpu in Maroor of Moodbidri, Karpe in Bantwal, Uddara and Kukkujuttu in Belthangady will be completed by May,” Krishna Kumar, assistant executive engineer of the Minor Irrigation Department, told DH.

The work on the remaining four vented dams is in progress, he added.

The estimated cost of the vented dam at Kukkujuttu in Nittade is Rs 6.29 crore, at Uddara near Kadirudyavara is Rs 4.92 crore, Niddodi Brahmasthana is 2 crore and at Thorpu is 5.55 crore.

A sum of Rs 11.46 crore will be utilised for the construction of vented dam at Kolavooru-Sannikai, Rs 7 crore for Sangabettu-Pucchemogaru, Rs 15 crore for Karpe Dota, Rs 12.5 crore for Kariyangala Polali, Rs 18.4 crore for Biliyooru, Rs 7.5 crore for Charvadka Ujiradka in Sullia, and Rs 174 crore for vented dam across River Nethravathi at Harekala.

Proposal revised

Krishna Kumar said that the proposal on the vented dam at Biliyooru in Bantwal has been revised and is awaiting a Cabinet approval.

“Initially, it was decided to construct the vented dam on submerge concept. However, the residents and the MLA demanded the construction of an all-weather road. Instead of a manual gate to store water, a power lifting gate is also proposed in the new estimate,” he said and added, “The revised estimate for Rs 46.70 crore was submitted to the government for approval.”

The work on a bridge-cum-barrage at Harekala at an estimated cost of Rs 174 crore was entrusted to G Shankar and Company on turnkey model for Rs 194 crore.

“The work is likely to be taken up shortly. Apart from the vented dams under the Paschima Vahini project, the Minor Irrigation Department has constructed 306 minor vented dams so far in the district,” said Krishna Kumar.