To hasten land acquisition, which has bogged down completion of the Almatti and Yettinahole projects, discussions are on to allow farmers to retain rights over the land they part with for the project.
“Large tracts of land get submerged by water impounded in the reservoir for about three months in a year. We are thinking of allowing farmers to retain rights over the land and allow cultivation of crops for the remaining nine months. Sometimes dams get filled in four or five years,” Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar told presspersons here on Monday after attending a Yettinahole review meeting.
This, he pointed out, would reduce the cost of compensation to be borne by the government while also allowing farmers to retain their rights. “We are looking for alternatives. Farmers whose lands are in the periphery of the reservoir backwaters will benefit,” he said, adding that it could also be implemented on the lines of the Pavagada model, where farmers get an annual rent for allowing companies to put up solar panels.
Vacant posts
Meanwhile, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday ordered the filling up of three posts of land acquisition officer that are lying vacant. He also directed officials to chalk out the modalities to acquire 5,000 acres in 21 villages required for the Yettinahole project and to compensate the farmers who have already given up their land.
At another meeting with officials of the Minor Irrigation Department, Mr. Kumaraswamy asked officials to draft a comprehensive development plan to conserve and protect lakes in the State. He also said he was in favour of developing lakes in association with private partners.
Preventing water diversion
The State government is considering bringing in legislation to prevent diversion of water in drinking water projects such as Yettinahole and Mekadatu. “In many irrigation projects, we see pumps used by farmers to pump water into their fields directly from the canals,” Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, adding that water cannot be diverted for irrigation from drinking water projects.