From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 9: With the State Government finally making up its mind to raise the Almatti Dam height to its originally proposed 524 metres from the present 519 metres, a massive extent of 1.20 lac acres of land will be acquired for the purpose.

The decision to raise the height of the Almatti dam to 524 mts in Bagalkot district under the Upper Krishna Project Phase III (UKP III) is in accordance with the verdict of the Krishna River Water Disputes Tribunal.

Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil, who announced the State Government’s decision at a news conference in Bangalore on Wednesday on raising the height of the dam and the extent of land that will have to be acquired for the purpose, said the Government would face a major challenge in the form of relief and rehabilitation of the 23 villages that will be submerged in the wake of impounding water up to 524 meters in the Alamatti Balancing Reservoir.

Over 70,000 acres of fertile land in the two districts would be lost in the backwaters of the reservoir. The compensation would be around Rs 8 to 10 lac per acre in the Bagalkot district.

The estimated cost of the project was pegged at Rs 17,100 crore for the UKP-III in the beginning.

The minister said the land acquisition process would commence from January and made it clear that the land acquisition would not be done by force.

As per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2013, the Government would pay compensation on the basis of consent to farmers whose lose land to the project.

A high level committee headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would take a fair decision and provide compensation to farmers who would lose their lands, Patil said.

About 10,000 acres would be required to resettlement and rehabilitation.

The minister said 500 Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers would be appointed soon and a proposal was submitted to the Finance Department for clearance.

The Chief Minister, who is in charge of the Finance Department, has agreed in principle to sanction the posts.

About 1000 engineers would be recruited on contract basis in all the Department’s three corporations – Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited and Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam.

The recruitment process would be completed in three months. The Department would recruit eligible candidates on the basis of marks and experience, he said.

Rs 5,000 Cr Funding for 2 Irrigation Projects Cleared

The Centre has cleared funding of Rs 5,000 crore for two major irrigation projects – Narayanapura Left Bank Canal (NLBC) and Upper Tunga Project - in the State.

The Water Resources Minister said the Technical Advisory Committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC) has cleared funding for two projects at a meeting held in the national capital on Tuesday.

With the Centre’s clearance, Patil said the State Government would submit a proposal to the Planning Commission to seek funding for two projects, which would be implemented in a phased manner.

The Centre would release funds to the State depending on the progress of two projects, he said.

Patil along with other Union Ministers from Karnataka called on Union Ministers for Water Resources Harish Rawat and sought clearance for pending proposals of the State.

The Centre would grant Rs 4051 crore for remodelling of the NLBC and Rs 2500 crore for Upper Tunga Project in Shimoga.

The canals of the Narayanapura Dam in Gulbarga division would be remodelled to ensure easy flow of water and ensure water to tail-end farmers. The NLBC remodeling would be completed in 3-5 year period.

The Government had already spent more than Rs 1500 corre on the Upper Tunga Project. The Centre would deduct the spent and amount and release the remaining amount for the project, he said.

The foundation for the Upper Tunga Project was laid by the then Chief Minister S Bangarappa in 1992 and the construction was launched in 1999.

Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa dedicated the project to the nation on July 11, 2010.