Southern States - Karnataka   

Move to develop tank still in controversy

By Our Staff Correspondent

HASSAN JULY 16. The move to develop Channapatnakere in Hassan is still mired in controversy. The Hassan MP, G.Puttaswamy Gowda, who has shown keen interest in developing the tank area into a model township, has apparently convinced the Chief Minister, S.M.Krishna, on the importance of saving the tank. But the District in-charge and Revenue Minister, H.C.Srikantaiah, is interested in the construction of an ISKCON temple and Bal Bhavan on the tank area.

Meanwhile, environmental organisations, including the Nela-Jala Samrakshana Samiti and the Hassan Zilla Jalarakshana Samiti are opposing concrete structures being put up inside the tank.

The Nela-Jala Samrakshana Samiti claimed that the Channapatnakere finally got a new lease of life after the Chief Minister issued a direction to the district administration. But the Deputy Commissioner, L.K.Atheeq, clarified that he did not receive any communication from the Government in this regard.

The President of the Samrakshana Samiti, K.T.Girish, in a release said that Mr. Gowda took a delegation of leaders representing the two organisations to the Chief Minister recently and convinced him of the importance of saving the Channapatnakere as it was one of the biggest water bodies in the district.

The Chief Minister, who agreed to the proposal to save the tank, said he would issue a direction to the authorities concerned.

However, Mr. Atheeq said that the district administration had decided to develop the Channapatnakere as a centre of ecological activity with the help of the Lake Development Authority.

He clarified he had discussed the issue with A.K.Varma of the Lake Development Authority, who was also keen on developing the tank as a centre of ecological activity. He said the district administration had decided against granting any further land in the tank area. He also sought the help of the noted environmentalist, Suresh Heblikar.

He said as a part of preserving the tank, a temple would be built by ISKCON on half-an-acre of land inside the tank area and a Bal Bhavan would be built in a small area. Boating facility would be provided.

Mr. Srikantaiah has also shown interest in building an ISKCON temple and a Bal Bhavan in the tank area.

While the district administration and Mr. Srikantaiah are keen on putting up concrete structures inside the tank, the leaders of the Jalarakshana Samiti, including, R.P.Venkatesha Murthy, are opposing any kind of concrete structure being put up inside the tank area.

The Chennapatnakere has been in news since 1996 when the Janata Dal Government breached it against the wishes of the people. Developing the 11th Century Channapatnakere developed by Bukka Nayaka during the rule of the Chola Dynasty has become a major issue between environmental organisations and farmers of the tank bed area. It took political colour later.

Environmental organisations claim that several water bodies in the region dried up and the ground water level depleted after the Channapatnakere tank was breached. Interestingly the people of the region, who earlier expressed protest against breaching the tank, have lost interest in the matter.

When the former Housing Minister in the Janata Dal Government, H.D.Revanna, took the initiative to breach the tank, the Congress leaders in the district protested it. However, Mr. Revanna defended the move saying that he would store water in 70 acres of land and would use another 90 acres of land for building a bus stand and railway station.

Though a proposal was prepared and submitted to the Government, the project could not be taken up as Samrakshana Samiti approached court and obtained a stay order against developing the tank bed area.

It was also decided to develop a housing complex in the area and an agreement was reached between farmers in the tank bed area and the Karnataka Housing Board for acquisition of land at Rs.5 lakhs per acre, but the deal could not be finalised as farmers demanded more compensation.

Those who protested the breach of tank believed that the Congress Government would restore the tank. But now talks are on with farmers in area for building a housing complex. There is still confusion over the quantum of compensation.

The two environmental organisations have appealed to farmers in the tankbed area not to claim compensation for their land, as water in Channapatnakere for supplying it to the city.

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