From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi

Belagavi, Nov 30: The Udupi district's long-pending Varahi irrigation project, aimed at providing irrigation facilities to over 15,702 hectares in Udupi and Kundapur taluks, has remained incomplete even after a long delay of 37 years since its inception.

This information was given to BJP member Capt Ganesh Karnik in the Karnataka Legislative Council by Water Resources Minister M B Patil on Wednesday.

Delay in acquisition of the land belonging to forest department, declaration of the category of C and D as the deemed forest and frequent changes suggested by the by the Union forest and Environment on the Detailed Project Report were among the main reasons, which led to the inordinate delay in completion of the decades-old Varahi Irrigation project in Udupi District, the minister said.

In reply to a question by Karnik, Water Resources minister M B Patil, informed the house that the project envisaged to provide irrigation facility to over 15,702 hectares of land in Udupi and Kundapur taluks in Udupi district, would be accorded top priority in commissioning the project, soon.

He said the Varahi project, despite being started way back in 1979, the actual works on the project was started only after securing the forest and environment clearance from the Union government, in 2005.

The minister said a major portion of works including that of Varahi Diversionweir, Right bank and Upper canal were either completed or in the final stages.

With the completion of the 30-km stretch of the left bank canal the department has already releasing water to irrigate over 3372 hectares of parched land in Udupi district, he said.

The Right bank canal works from 18.41 km to 42.73 kms of Varahi left bank canal works from 30 km to 44.35 and the components of the Lift irrigation from zero kms to 30 kms, are among the left-over works, which had to be taken up in the coming days, the minister explained.

He said the State Government had spent over Rs 689.92 crore till the end of September this year on the project.