‘Modernise canal network of Lower Mullamari Project’

Though the project was completed years ago, water is yet to reach farmers

A four-member high-level committee appointed by the State government to look into the bottlenecks in the completion of long-pending irrigation projects in the State has recommended taking up the modernisation of the canal network of the Lower Mullamari Project (LMP) to ensure flow of water to farmers’ fields.

The committee consisting of G.R.K. Karaddi, retired Engineer-in-Chief; P.V. Jatti, retired Chief Engineer; V.P. Huggi, principal of BLDE Dr. P.G.H. College of Engineering and Technology; and Shivakumar, Superintendent Engineer of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd., visited the project and studied in detail the condition of the canal network system. It has said that the modernisation of the canal network; reconstruction of the cross drainage works; and rectification of bed levels of the main canal were needed to complete the project in all respects and ensure the flow of water to the command area.

The total allocation of water to the project coming under the Krishna basin was 3.08 tmcft with a utilisation target of 1.74 tmcft.

It is supposed to irrigate 81,00 hectares of parched land in the drought-prone Chincholi and Sedam taluks in Kalaburagi district.

Although the dam was completed several years ago, the actual release of water to farmers’ fields in the canal network could not take place owing to problems such as a faulty canal network system.

The committee in its report pointed out that though the project components were physically completed long ago, it had not been possible to provide irrigation to the entire command area.

The Shahabad slab lining has been disturbed due to the swelling of sides and heavy siltation of the main canal. The smooth flow of water in the main canal was not possible due to insufficient vent way.

Besides this, the bed levels executed were not as per the approved levels in many reaches of the main canal.

The committee said that the entire canal system should be modernised with the replacement of the Shahabad stone slab lining with reinforced cement concrete lining and rectification of the bed levels of the main canal and reconstruction of cross drainage works with sufficient vent way at a total cost of Rs. 109 crore.

The committee also said that the maintenance of the canal system in the project should be given prime importance after the completion of modernisation. According to sources in KNNL, a proposal has been submitted and KNNL is likely to give its approval soon.

A four-member

high-level committee visited the project and studied the condition of the canal