Work on drip irrigation project in full swing

Work on providing drip irrigation to 20,000 hectares of land in Tarikeri and Ajjampura taluks, through Bhadra upper canal, is in full swing.

Pipeline is being laid in the fields and plantations in more than 90 villages in the two taluks that come under plain region. The main pipeline passes through Hebbur railway bridge.

Private companies are working on the project. Currently, pipes are being laid in Gadihalli, Anuvanahalli, Shivani, Bankanakatte and neighbouring areas.

The project intends to provide water to the fields and plantations from June 15 to October 15. The water stored in the Bhadra upper canal during the monsoon will be supplied to the fields.

A S Ashok, a farmer from Anuvanahalli, said that the region does not get enough rains and therefore the agriculture activity suffers from the lack of water.

Drip irrigation system will be useful for the farmers, he said.

Onion, groundnut, finger millet, corn, potato, chilly, horse gram and sesame are the main crops cultivated
in the region. Apart from these, the farmers grow vegetables like tomato, eggplant, cauliflower and beetroot. There are coconut and areca plantations as well.

“Fourty per cent of the work has been completed. It has been decided to complete the work within this year,’’ said Bhadra Upper project’s Tarikere Division Engineer Avinash Gowda.

He stated that a total of 1.47 TMC water has been allocated to Tarikere and Ajjampura taluks under the drip irrigation project of Rs 817 crore.

Work on the construction of the pumphouse is complete and the pipeline is being laid, he added.