Constructing bridges-cum-barrages will help irrigate dry land and also mitigate drinking water shortage in the villages downstream, Yadgir MLA A.B. Maalakaraddi has said.
Dr. Maalakaraddi, who visited a bridge-cum-barrage being taken up at Bilhar village in Shahapur taluk under Yadgir Assembly Constituency recently, said that the bridge-cum-barrage is being constructed at a cost of ₹ 1 crore and farmers of Bilhar, Rotnadagi, Tumkur and Bendebenbali will benefit from it.
Referring to the recent farmer suicides, Dr. Maalakaraddi appealed to the civilised society to encourage farmers to shift to less expensive crops and reap good yields by using water stored in barrages.
“It is everybody’s duty to protect the interest of farmers,” he said and added that officials of the Agriculture Department should help farmers by extending them the benefits under schemes introduced by the Union and State governments.
Mareppa Bilhar, president of Block Congress Committee, and Sadashivappagowda and others were present.