'Hasten works on Rs 144 cr Kali river related project'

: Water Resources Minister M B Patil today directed officials to speed up works on the Rs 144 crore project for tank filling and construction of barrages across the Kali river in Uttara Kannada district.
Chairing a review meeting of senior officials of his department along with Uttara Kannada district incharge and Industries Minister R V Deshapande, he said the project should be completed on a priority basis and completed in a year, official sources said.
The Chief minister had announced the tank filling project across the Kali river in his 2013-14 budget speech and the proposal received the cabinet's approval recently.

Karnataka Neeravari Nigama Ltd (KNNL) Managing Director R Rudraiah said preliminary works on the project, including that of conducting a survey and preparation of Detailed Project Report, had been completed.
"The technical feasibility of the project had also been obtained" he said, according to sources.
He said as many as 41 tanks passing through the rising main of the canal would be filled, besides construction of as many as 19 barrages.

When completed, the project would provide water to irrigate over 17,000 acres in the district,besides recharging the depleting ground water level in the region, he said.
He also said the project does not involve land acquisition or forest and environmental issues as water would be harnessed from the Kali river, released from the Hydro power projects in the district.

While directing the officials to hasten the project, Patil assured that necessary budgetary suport would be provided to it, the sources added.