From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 9: Encroachments in as many as 2,259 lakes across Karnataka are being cleared by the State Minor Irrigation Department.

Giving this information to reporters after a meeting to review the performance of his department in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Karnataka’s Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said 2259 lakes in North and South zones of the State with encroachments.

He said in each district about 70 to 80 lakes have been taken up under lake development program at the cost of Rs. 90.95 crore.

All the encroachments will be cleared by end of March 2016.

The minister said the Department will take up fencing of the lakes after clearing the encroachments and Rajakaluve (storm water drain) will be cleaned under this program. 

The Department has already invited taluk wise tenders to take up  for lake development program, Tangadagi said. He said the Department has identified around 28000 lakes across the State. 

Lakes situated in municipalities and ZP, TP and Grama Panchayat jurisdiction will be developed in a phased manner. 

“We have decided to take 2000 to 3000 lakes per year to clear the encroachment”, Tangadagi added.

As the World Bank funded Jala Samvardhana Yojana Sangha (JSYS) was successfully implemented in the State, the minister said the Department has decided to take up this program. 

The State Government has made proposal to rejuvenate 5000 lakes under this scheme.

This scheme was taken up in 2002 to 2012 for ten years and 3710 lakes had developed at the cost of Rs. 795 crore. 

Since success rate was reached above 90 percent, the State Government has desired take up JSYS scheme, Tangadagi added.

While clearing the lake encroachments, the new act will empower the State Government to take stringent action against encroachers including penal action, he said.

After visiting of Rajasthan where check dam project was successful, Karnataka has decided to construct check dam to the lakes in ten districts.

Check dam works will be taken up in Gadag, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Koppal, Raichuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru, Ramanagara and Chitradurga districts. 

He said Rs. 20 crore has been earmarked per each district to construct check dam project.

In first phase, five districts have been chosen, Tangadagi added.

Though solar pump set project was successful in North Karnataka, the social welfare department has not interested to extend the project to remaining district. 

The Minister has requested the Chief Minister to extend solar pump set project remaining districts.