Nanjangud MLA Harshvardhan on Tuesday said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has paid attention to his request for sanctioning a project of lifting water from Kabini river and supplying to the water-starved Dodda Kavalande village in the taluk.
The MLA had written to Mr. Bommai narrating the woes of farmers in Dodda Kavalande due to lack of perennial source of water. Rainwater is the primary source of water in the region. If the village’s tanks are filled by Kabini river water, it will help in meeting the drinking water needs besides helping in irrigation, the MLA said in his letter.
Mr. Harshavardhan has urged the Chief Minister to instruct the Finance Department to grant a sum of ₹70 crore to the Minor Irrigation Department so that the lift irrigation project could be implemented. “The Chief Minister has now asked the officials to prepare a file on this,” he said.
When the rains fail, Dodda Kavalande would face a severe water scarcity, the MLA said in his memorandum. There is a significant shortage of drinking water throughout summer. The majority of the population works in agriculture. There are no industries in this area. Borewells dug as deep as 400 feet have failed to yield water, he explained.
Groundwater levels in Badanavalu, Devanur, Koodlapura, Bagur, Hedathale, and the adjacent villages need to be improved.