A movement to prevail upon the State government to provide irrigation cover in the chronically drought-prone Kudligi taluk has been launched under the banner of Samagra Neeravari Horata Samiti, comprising people from all sections of society, including seers of various mutts.
Sri Prashantasagar Shivacharya Swamiji of Kudligi Hiremath has already started performing Linga Puja in three ancient tanks in the taluk to create awareness about the importance of water, its conservation, environment and ecology protection.
People have been participating in large numbers in the Linga Puja besides assuring the swamiji of their commitment to actively participating in the movement.
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54 tanks
“Kudligi taluk has the largest dry area and it is the most backward in the entire district. There are 54 existing tanks that provide irrigation cover. But due to vagaries of monsoon and continuous drought, the tanks have gone dry affecting agricultural activities very severely. Therefore, we have launched the movement to draw the attention of the State government about the plight of the people due to chronic drought and prevail upon it to chalk out a viable scheme for providing irrigation cover and filling tanks,” the swamiji told
Though the issue — chronic drought and the need for getting irrigation cover — was taken up a decade ago, hardly any progress could be achieved, though there have been assurances from the elected representatives of according top priority to it. Now, these assurances have turned out to be false.
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Kakkuppe Basavaraj, a farmer leader now actively involved in the movement, recalls that way back in 1970, Kudligi, along with a few taluks in Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts, was to get irrigation cover from the Upper Bhadra Project.
“As none of the elected representatives from the area evinced interest, Kudligi taluk was deprived of irrigation facilities and it continues to face chronic drought. As the situation was getting worse every year and it needs to be addressed urgently, the samiti was formed to not only intensify the movement but also to mobilise people’s support to pressure the government to chalk out a suitable plan to save them from severe drought conditions,” he said and added: “We can still see the survey stones laid then in Hosahalli and other areas for the construction of a canal from the Upper Bhadra Project.”
Youths from various villages who have come forward in support of the cause have been visiting all villages to mobilise people’s support and the response is very encouraging, he said.
Singatalur water
“What is required from the State government is to get Kudligi included in the Upper Bhadra Project and allocate water for providing irrigation cover and filling tanks. The government can also consider providing Tungabhadra water from the existing Singatalur Lift Irrigation Project, near Hadagali, to meet this demand,” the swamiji stressed.
Mr. Basavaraj said that a delegation would be meeting the Chief Minister and Minister for Water Resources and urge them to concede their demands. As part of intensifying the movement, the samiti has also planned to take out either a bike rally or a padayatra to Bengaluru later.