Karnataka: Rs 130-crore project to desilt Harangi dam

MADIKERI: Govind Karjol, minister for irrigation, on Sunday visited Harangi reservoir located on the border of Mysuru and Kodagu districts and later said a Rs 130 crore project to desilt the dam will be launched at the end of the monsoon season.
Karjol said: “Harangi reservoir has lots of silt deposits from heavy rain and landslides in 2018. Projects are being planned to construct gabion walls across vulnerable river basins and desilting work will be undertaken to increase storage capacity. ”
The minister visited surrounding streams at Haraduru, Hattiholey and Kote Abbi Falls, and later said work on restoring damaged bridges in these areas will be carried out soon. Madikeri MLA Appachu Ranjan accompanied the minister during his visit.
Residential areas in Kushalnagar, Kodagu district, routinely flood during the rainy season when excess water is released from Harangi every year. More than 60,000 cusecs of water is usually released, causing floods in villages on the banks of the river.
“To prevent this, a survey was conducted, and a proposal was sent,” said Karjol. The government is considering a Rs 580 crore project to control flooding permanently,” he said.
The irrigation minister was also interested in fisheries development projects and said it is a profitable business. He said the government is planning to introduce fish breeding programmes across several reservoirs in the state including Harangi.