Karnataka to renovate 700 tanks at a cost of Rs 300 Cr

Mysore, June 8 (UNI) Karnataka Government will take up renovation of 700 tanks in the State at a cost of Rs 300 Crore, Minister for Water Resources K S Eshwarappa said today.

Speaking to media persons here, he said that the works were taken up on phased manner and by August about 300 tanks would be rejunovated and balance 400 tanks the works would be completed by October. In all about 1.91 lakhs of irrigation lands would be helped from this renovation and restoration works.

Stating that the department had taken eleven ongoing projects in the Cauvery basin regions and this year complete the another ongoing six projects at the cost of Rs 95.46 crores which would help irrigating nearly 14465 acres of land in this part.

He said the department also taken up complete Srirama Devarayana projects coming under Holenarasipura, Channaraynapatna and K R Pet areas and expected to complete in another ten months at the cost of Rs 212.84 crores.

Mr Eswarappa said that on the one hand the state government has been fighting legal battle for the Cauvery water disputes tribunal final award in the supreme court, but the government committed to provide water for the farmers for their irrigation purposes in the state. He also clarified that it has not taken any new projects in the Cauvery basin areas.

Referring to encroachment of the tanks in the state, he said the government has taken serious note on this and all the encroachment would be removed at any cost and it would not yield for any pressure.

On the statement of the Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Mahadayi drinking water projects, he said the government had already taken all party delegations to the Union Government and had even apprised the situation to the Prime Minister on this issue, which was mainly for the drinking water facilities for the Hubli and Dharwad cities. The government had already consulted with the legal experts on this issue and appropriate decisions would be taken shortly. She made the statements on the eve of the Goa assembly elections and to seek vote on this. The government also studying to file a petition with the election commission of India on this issue as it was against election code.

Replying to a question on transfer of powers in the state and different statements by ministers of Janata dal(s), he said he did not want to comment on the issue since the agreement was between Chief Minister H D Kumraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yedyurappa.

UNI