Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (MS)

Kundapur, Feb 11: "Though the Varahi project began 41 years ago, farmers are not getting water in sufficient quantity. Farmers on either sides of the river and around Saukuru irrigation project do not have proper information. Though Siddapura and Saukuru irrigation projects got approved at the same time, work on Siddapura irrigation project has still not started. An emergency meeting of farmers needs to be called at various places and the issue needs to be resolved," Udupi district farmers' association urged Varahi project officials.

A delegation which included the office bearers of Kavradi, Siddapura, Halady, Mandarthy and Koni zones of Udupi district farmers' association met the superintedent engineer at Varahi project office at Siddapur on Wednesday February 10 and submitted an appeal.

B Sathish Kini, chief secretary of farmers' association said, "Farmers along the left bank of Varahi irrigation project delta area do not have proper information about the project. They should be provided with design of the project, villages that the canal will pass through, land acquisition and compensation and exact details of delta area need to be given to the farmers."

Sharath Chandra Shetty, president of Kavradi zone and Krishnaraja Shetty, president of Mandarthi zone urged the officials to give information on the project.

Santhosh Kumar Shetty, secretary of Udupi district farmers' association said, "Even after 41 years of starting of the Varahi irrigation project, the work on right river bank canal has not yet started. Some areas of Amparu village through which the right river bank canal will flow land acquisition and compensation is already given. However, without providing irrigation facility to Shankaranarayana, Amparu, Kavradi and Halnadu villages, which are in the original project, Saukuru irrigation project work has been started in order to benefit the contractor of the project. Varahi right river bank canal work needs to be completed immediately. Otherwise the farmers will have to resort to protest in coming days."

"The interest shown by the officials in completing the Saukuru Yetha irrigation project is not seen in Siddapura irrigation project. What is the issue in starting the work at Siddapur? It should be started immediately," urged Sampigedi Sanjeeva Shetty and Shivram Shetty. The farmers questioned why the Siddapura Yetha irrigation project was limited only to propaganda though both Saukuru and Siddapura projects were approved simultaneously?

K Sadashiva Shetty, president of Siddapura zone urged, "There is water scarcity in many areas of Siddapura zone for agriculture. Water from Varahi is not available. Water is not avaialable for agricultural land at Ulluru-74, Kulanje and Hebbadi. Immediate attention needs to be given to this."

The farmers opined, "Water from Varahi river is being supplied to Udupi and Byndoor taluks. We do not object to that. But there is no water in Siddapura itself. First water should have been supplied to Siddapura and then to other areas. But Varahi project board is not following the right process."

Replying to the woes of farmers, superintending engineer of the project said, "We will try sincerely to resolve the issues. This project is for the farmers only. We will work for the interests of our farmers. We need the cooperation of farmers' associations also."

The farmers urged that the water should be flown in the canals at the beginning of December month itself. The work of removing silt from the canals needs to be completed before December. If that is not done in time, farmers will face problem."

Superintending engineer of Varahi irrigation project, executive engineer Praveena, Prasanna Kumar, eminent personalities of farmers association Sampigedi Sanjeeva Shetty, zilla panchayat member Jyoti, taluk panchayat member Vasudeva Pai, Krishnadeva Karanatha Koni, Rajiv Shetty, Pradeep Kumar Shetty Gudibettu and Kiran Hegde were present.