Govt. to go ahead with Mahadayi diversion

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JULY 26. The Minister for Water Resources and the Leader of the House, Mr. H. K. Patil, told the Legislative Council today that the State Government was committed to implementing the Mahadayi (Mandovi) diversion project which would augment the storage in the Malaprabha Reservoir.

Replying to a discussion on the Malaprabha-Ghataprabha irrigation projects raised by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Basavaraj Bommai, he said successive governments had been holding discussions on the Mahadayi Project with Goa. Diverting around seven tmc ft. of water from the Mahadayi to the Malaprabha would not lead to any problem since 50 tmc ft. of water was available in the Mahadayi in a water year. The National Engineering and Enviroment Research Institute report on the diversion scheme had also given its clearance.

Mr. Patil said the Malaprabha and the Ghataprabha irrigation projects, work on which started 40 years ago, would be completed in three years. From Rs. 170 crores in the Fifties, the cost of the Malaprabha Project had shot up to Rs. 1,760 crores now. The Malaprabha Project would be completed by December 2002 while the Ghataprabha Project would be ready by December 2003. Work on the two projects had been delayed not merely due to lack of funds but also because of lack of commitment on the part of successive governments. For the first time, about Rs. 150 crores had been set apart for the Ghataprabha Project and Rs. 75 crores for the Malaprabha Project. The two dams in all respects and the pending works pertained to the canals, distributaries and so on had been completed.

Mr. Patil said the work on the right and the left bank canals of the Malaprabha Project was on at a brisk pace. About Rs. 215 crores was required to complete the project and the Government, which had allotted the work to the Karnataka Irrigation Corporation, would allot sufficient funds. Work on the 205-km. right bank canal of the Ghataprabha Project was on and the Dasnal Tunnel at the 70th km. had been completed. The Malaprabha and Ghataprabha projects would together irrigate about 5.50 lakh hectares in Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwad districts, he said.

Mr. Bommai said the Government had not made use of the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme launched by the Centre to complete the much delayed irrigation projects in the country. Under the scheme, the Centre granted Rs. 200 crores for every Rs. 100 crores allotted by the State Government.

He said the Government was now paying attention to the two projects, thanks to the initiative taken by Mr. Patil, who had allotted more funds to the schemes. He lauded the minister for closely monitoring the progress of the work.

He said the National Irrigation Council called for early completion of the two projects in 1971, since the drought- prone areas in the Belgaum and Bijapur districts would be irrigated. The Bombay Government had done the preliminary works on the Ghataprabha project prior to 1956 (the reorganisation of States) although successive governments had not paid attention to it.

He said the people of the region would be grateful to Mr. Patil if the projects were completed early. Efforts should also be made to remove silt from the two reservoirs, he said.

Mr. P. Ramiah (nominated), who urged the Government to complete the projects without delay, said the two projects were neglected for years due to the focus being on the Upper Krishna Project.

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Section  : Southern States
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