K.B. Ashok, Shivamogga Rural MLA, has demanded that the State government commence works related to Hosahalli and Holehansawadi lift irrigation projects at the earliest.
Mr. Ashok told presspersons here that as the villages that would be benefited from both the projects are perennially drought-affected, the State government should release the funds necessary for their implementation.
It may be mentioned here that the State government in the budget of 2019-20 earmarked an amount of ₹250 crore for Hosahalli lift irrigation project that intends to draw 1.6 tmcft water from the Tunga and fill 65 tanks in Kumsi, Sirigere, Maleshankara Grama Panchayat limits. Of the 1.6 tmcft, 0.4 tmcft would be pumped to Anjanapura reservoir. In addition, an amount of ₹13 crore has been earmarked for Holehansawadi lift irrigation project that intends to fill eights tanks in Bikkonahalli, Kommanal, Abbalagere and Beeranakere villages from the water drawn from the Tunga. More than 15,000 acres are expected to be irrigated from both projects.
He said that arecanut cultivated on hundreds of acres of land had dried up owing to moisture stress caused by drought in Shivamogga Rural Assembly segment limits in 2017-18. Those cultivating agriculture crops have also incurred losses here due to scarcity of rain for three years now. The implementation of Hosahalli and Holehanswadi lift irrigation projects would give impetus for farming activities in the region, he said.
Expressing regret on the sub-standard works implemented in Holalur lift irrigation project, he said that owing to usage of low quality material for the project, more than 25 leakage points were identified along the pipeline when water was released on a trial basis recently. He said that the officials of Department of Minor Irrigation should take due precautions to avoid such lapses in implementation of lift irrigation projects in future.