The district, which gained fame for getting several ancient tanks and ‘bawadis’ (open wells) filled up using the Krishna water during former Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil’s tenure, has now extended its benefits even to Sainik School, Bijapur, by filling up a tank on the premises here.
The school, which was established in 1963 on over 400 acres, was facing water problem for years. Despite that, the school authorities, in order to increase green cover, planted over 15,000 saplings.
Tamojeet Biwas, the previous principal of the school, in 2016 urged Mr. Patil to get ancient bawadis located on the school premises rejuvenated.
Excited after seeing the ancient bawadis getting clear water again, the school authorities later submitted a memorandum to Mr. Patil to get a tank built near Takke area, in a land belonging to the school. The government, considering their demand, granted ₹30 lakh and got a tank built on around two acres of land.
After the construction, a decision was taken to extend the pipeline of Bhutanal tank to the newly constructed tank for supplying water. With the work now getting completed, water has started flowing into the tank.
With the tank now filled up, it is going to help the school and the same water will also help increase underground water table in the vicinity of the tank. The water will support the ecology and help in arrival of many migratory birds that are already thronging tanks such as Bhutanal and Begum Talab of the city. Muralidharan, the administrative officer of the school, expressed his gratitude to Mr. Patil to taking up the project and getting it completed.
