Micro-irrigation to be introduced in major projects

April 21, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:47 am IST - KALABURAGI:

Krishna Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (KNNL) has introduced the concept of ‘micro-irrigation’ to achieve optimum utilisation of available water and bring more areas under the irrigation network in major projects such as the Upper Bhadra, Singatlur and other lift irrigation projects.

Although micro-irrigation, using the drip and sprinkler irrigation, is not a new concept, it is for the first time that this system is being introduced in government-implemented projects. This type of irrigation is very popular in Maharashtra and parts of north Karnataka.

Micro-irrigation was introduced in Shiggoan Lift Irrigation project on a pilot basis when Basavaraj Bommai was the Water Resources Minister in the previous BJP government. It brought 9,900 hectares of land under irrigation network using sprinkler irrigation.

This concept is now being introduced in the Upper Bhadra project (aims to provide irrigation facilities to 2.25 lakh hectares); Singatlur Major irrigation project (1.17 lakh hectares); and Tumsi Bableshwar lift irrigation project (43,500 hectares).

Major benefits

R. Rudraiah, managing director of the KNNL, told The Hindu that the major advantages of micro-irrigation is the involvement of the farmer in the maintenance of the infrastructure created on his lands; avoiding excess use of water; reducing wastage of water to zero-levels; and the overall cost of the project could be reduced limiting land acquisition in the submersion and for constructing the main canal. There would be no need for acquisition of land for distributaries.

Additional benefits of the new concept are the increase in yield, which nearly doubles owing to the availability of water when it is required. Further, water goes directly to the root through drip irrigation.

Mr. Rudraiah said initially the command area of the Upper Bhadra was fixed at 1.07 lakh hectares in the flow irrigation. But after the decision to convert the project into micro-irrigation project, the command area went up to 2.25 lakh hectares. Similarly, the area under irrigation in Singatalur project had gone up from 54,655 hectares to 1.17 lakh hectares after switching over to micro-irrigation. The Tumsi Bableshwar lift irrigation proposes to bring 43,500 hectares of land under irrigation.

The only unresolved issue is how the farmers will welcome the new concept and the maintenance of the drip irrigation system initially installed in the farmers’ field.

The KNNL proposes to form farmers’ groups to take over the maintenance of the drip irrigation system to reduce their dependence on the government to maintain the irrigation system.

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