The Kachenahalli Lift Irrigation project, which will benefit the people in Holenarsipur, Hassan and Channarayapatna taluks, is all set to be commissioned on Monday by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The project had been approved by the government way back in 1993, when M. Veerappa Moily was the Chief Minister. Since then, the work on the project has been crawling at a snail’s pace despite repeated protests by farmers for its early completion.
The project, which had been estimated to cost Rs. 155 crore and consists of three phases, involves drawing of water from the Hemavati canal at Kachenahalli and filling up 40 tanks across three taluks. People living in villages that are going to benefit from the project are also expecting that once the project gets implemented, the groundwater table will improve and a lasting solution for their drinking water woes would emerge. Now, the first phase, comprising construction of a pump house, intake canal and jackwell, has been completed. The second phase is also on the verge of completion as what remains to be done is the canal work.
Earlier, the Chief Minister’s programme had also been postponed a couple of times, prompting the farmers to take to the street.
The Rs. 155-crore scheme was originally launched in 1993
Plan is to fill 40 tanks across Holenarsipur, Hassan and Channarayapatna taluks with Hemavati waters
