Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj expressed his ire at officials of the Varahi Irrigation Project for not informing affected farmers individually to attend the meeting.
Mr. Madhwaraj saw that not many farmers were present. The engineers told him that they had sent notices to concerned gram panchayats. He said not all farmers would see notices at panchayat offices. Besides, it was also possible that some other notice would be stuck on the Varahi notice at the notice board.
At the meeting, a farmer said that there was long-pending demand for the construction of a vented dam at Ulloor. This would cost ₹2 crore and irrigate about 1,000 acres. Another farmer, said it was four decades ago, that the project was implemented, but progress was at a snail’s pace. Elected representatives and officials should take more interest. The speedy construction of the project would help cultivate cane, which could be supplied to the Brahmavar Cooperative Sugar Factory, if it was revived, he said.
The engineers said the work on the left bank canal of the Varahi Irrigation Project would be completed first, then the works on the right bank canal and the lift irrigation project would be taken up. This would require another ₹360 crore, they said.
