BELAGAVI: Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi said Karnataka Niravari Nigam Limited has been asked by the state government to prepare the DPR to build the Navali balancing reservoir, which is aimed at addressing the storage problems of Tungabhadra reservoir due to the silt accumulation.

The minister said this has resulted in less storage of water in the dam. Keeping this in view, the state cabinet has accorded permission to prepare the DPR to build Navali Balancing reservoir.

Jarkiholi said the total storage of the dam was 130 TMC of water but the silt accumulation has reduced the storage capacity by 31 TMC of water. Because of this,  the state was not in a position to impound around 30 TMC of water.

In order to make optimum utilisation of water, the department of water resources has formulated a plan to build a balancing reservoir near Navali village. Directions have been issued to release Rs 14.30 crore towards the preparation of the DPR, he noted.

Congratulating Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for giving approval, the minister Jarkiholi said the incumbent government was committed to the implementation of all pending irrigation projects across the state. 

In fact, desiltation of the TB dam has been pending for many years, and Yediyurappa has taken up this cause to help farmers for agriculture purposes, he said.