Karnataka's Upper Bhadra Project reaches key milestone; leaders call for completion by 2028

CHITRADURGA: Sunday marked a significant milestone for the people of Chitradurga district as water from the Upper Bhadra Project was released through the Chitradurga Branch Canal, fulfilling a longstanding demand for water in the drought-prone region.

Following the efforts of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Chitradurga district in-charge Minister T Raghumurthy, 3 TMC of water began flowing through the canal. Though the project has faced delays over the years, its implementation is expected to help address the district’s longstanding water needs.

The Upper Bhadra Project, conceived to provide irrigation to drought-prone areas of central Karnataka, reached a key milestone with the release of water into the Chitradurga Branch Canal, leaders said on Sunday.

The project covers 12 taluks across Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Chitradurga and Davanagere districts. It envisages the allocation of 29.90 TMC of water to irrigate about 2.25 lakh hectares and fill 367 tanks.

Raghumurthy, along with Holalkere MLA Dr M Chandrappa, Hosadurga MLA B G Govindappa, Chitradurga MLA K C Veerendra, Tarikere MLA Srinivas and Sira MLA T B Jayachandra, pressed the start button of the stop gate at the Bhadra Project in Lakkavalli. Later, he operated a computer-based water-pumping system at the Shanthipura pumphouse in Tarikere.

Water then gushed through the pumping system into the Chitradurga Branch Canal, marking a major step towards addressing the region’s longstanding water scarcity.

Speaking at a programme, Raghumurthy credited successive governments, elected representatives, farmers’ organisations and activists with keeping the project alive over the years.

He recalled the role of former chief minister S M Krishna and former minister T B Jayachandra in laying the groundwork for the project, besides the contributions of successive governments headed by H D Kumaraswamy, B S Yediyurappa and Siddaramaiah. He also credited the present Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who, as Water Resources Minister, had worked for the project’s implementation.

Raghumurthy recalled an occasion when CM DK Shivakumar, then Water Resources Minister, gave a patient hearing to the problems faced by farmers in Tarikere and took steps to resolve them. This, he said, helped expedite work on the Chitradurga Branch Canal.

According to Raghumurthy, the project was initially estimated to cost Rs 2,814 crore. The estimated cost subsequently increased to around Rs 5,500 crore, Rs 12,500 crore and Rs 21,500 crore under successive governments. Around Rs 11,500 crore has been spent so far.

He also said the lakes and tanks in Chitradurga district would be filled with water from the Upper Bhadra Project on a trial basis. The problems encountered during the trial run would be addressed before the regular flow of water begins, he said.

The project envisages lifting 17.40 TMC from the Tunga and another 12.50 TMC from the Bhadra, taking the total allocation to 29.90 TMC. Work on two towers required for the Tunga component is expected to be completed in the coming months, after which the remaining water is expected to reach the project area.

Raghumurthy also urged the Centre to release the Rs 5,300 crore announced for the project in the 2022-23 Union Budget, saying the funds would help accelerate the remaining works.

He appealed to political parties to keep the project above partisan politics and work together to ensure its completion by 2028.

The 12 taluks covered by the project are Chikkanayakanahalli, Sira and Pavagada in Tumakuru district; Tarikere and Kadur in Chikkamagaluru; Hosadurga, Hiriyur, Chitradurga, Challakere and Molakalmuru in Chitradurga; and Jagalur in Davanagere.

Speakers said the project would provide much-needed irrigation support to the drought-prone region.

A larger, non-partisan public programme involving present and former chief ministers and others associated with the project is also being planned in Chitradurga to mark the milestone.