Expressing concern over the safety of Hemagiri check-dam in K.R. Pet taluk due to the ongoing blasting works, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has sought ‘immediate intervention’ of the district administration to safeguard the interests of farmers in the region.
A private firm had been deepening a canal, merely 50 m away from the check-dam across Hemavathi River, through excavation and powerful blasts, Maruvanahalli Shankar, K.R. Pet taluk KRRS president, told presspersons at K.R. Pet on Sunday.
According to him, the firm had been widening and deepening the canal, without obtaining mandatory permission and flouting norms.
Three units
Three private firms have set up a hydroelectric power generation unit each at Mandagere check-dam (12 MW), Akkihebbal (6 MW) and near Hemagiri (6 MW). All the three firms were dependent on Hemavathi River to generate power. One of these firms based at Hyderabad, has been allegedly deepening the canal, causing a threat to the Hemagiri check-dam, Mr. Shankar said.
Urging the district administration and elected representatives in the taluk to protect the check-dam, Mr. Shankar said the 35-km-long Hemagiri canal was the source of water for thousands of hectares of agricultural land at Bookanakere and Kasaba hoblis .
The widening and deepening of the canal would have an adverse impact on the agricultural activities in the surrounding areas, he said.
The KRRS would launch a protest, if the authorities failed to meet their demands, he said.
