Canal works on in Mysore

One of the 16 century-old nearly crest gates of the Krishnarajasagar Dam, near Mysore, has been replaced, while three more gates are scheduled for replacement during the year.

Krishnarajasagar Dam was built by the Mysore maharajas who developed water sources like irrigation canals, for agricultural purposes in the erstwhile Mysore state.

“The 80 feet high 16 crest gates were installed in 1924 when the dam was completed. Having worked for 85 years, these gates are now rusted and increase the threat of further damage during floods. Taking note of this, a Rs 7.20 crore scheme was initiated last year to replace the gates. While one gate has been replaced, three more would be replaced this year and the work has been proposed for completion by next February.

As part of its drive to develop and restore the age-old tanks and reservoirs, the Water Resources Department of the Karnataka government has taken up a number of schemes in the last few years in Mysore.

The canals of the 25 dams that come under the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd being very old, a substantial amount of water that could benefit agriculture at the tail-end is lost. To check this, the government has taken up modernising the canals and the work is progressing briskly.

Besides KRS, another work taken up last April is modernisation of the dilapidated one to a 45 km section of the Devaraja Urs Canal (Varuna Canal) for Rs 4.98 crore.

Apart from these, Taraka and Nanjapura lift irrigation schemes were completed recently, while the Bannahalli Hundi Lift Irrigation Scheme is in progress.

The scheme to lift excess water of 2.07 tmc available during the three months of rains from the Kabini backwaters and flow it to the Taraka reservoir, though, had received administrative approval in 1997 and was moving at a snail pace was speeded up and completed this year.

Taraka project in H D Kote taluk of Mysore district was completed in 1982 to provide 3.84 tmc of water for 17,400 acres. However, with the water flow diminishing, half the area of about 8,500 acres faced water shortage. To meet his shortfall, the lift irrigation scheme was initiated.

Similar was the fate of the Nanjapura lift irrigation project in T Narasipur taluk of the district. Launched in 1998 to lift 119 cusecs from the Cauvery near Bannur for irrigating, 10,000 acres in T Narasipur and Malavalli taluks, its progress was tardy. The project was put on fast track and completed last year. Presently, the water irrigates 10,000 acres.

The Rs 18 crore Bannahalli Hundi lift irrigation scheme in Nanjangud taluk of the district though taken up in 2005-06 had made little headway. Spending about Rs 9.72 crore the project was completed in one year and water is being provided on experimental basis for 1,773 acres of six villages in T Narasipur taluk and one village in Chamarajanagar taluk.

Significantly, the amount spent is just above half the original cost.