CM to lay foundation stone of Tubachi-Babaleshwar project on April 9.

M.B. Patil, Minister for Water Resources and District In-charge said that the ambitious Tubachi-Babaleshwar lift irrigation project would see a major milestone after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lays the foundation stone of the project on April 9.

Addressing press persons recently, he said that the project which has been converted into a drip irrigation project in order to save water, was aimed at irrigating 42,500 hectare land of Vijayapura, Athani (Belagavi) and Jamakhandi (Bagalkot) taluks.

He said that the government has earmarked Rs. 2,488 crore for the project which would make use of 3.80 tmc of Krishna River water to 37 villages of three districts.

'After the laying of foundation stone and commencing the project, the government intends to complete the project within three and half years. The irrigation project would primarily help the horticulture crops such as grapes which is predominantly cultivated in Vijayapura taluk', Mr. Patil said.

He said that the Chief Minister would also lay foundation stone for the tank filling projects of ancient ponds such as Mamadapur, Begum Talab and Bhutanal.

Mr. Patil informed that Rs. 180 crore had been earmarked for these three projects which would help in recharging ground water level in around 25 kilometer radius of the tanks.

The Minister said that before the commending the tank filling work, the silt accumulated in all three tanks would be removed for increasing the storage capacity.

'Tanks such as Bhutanal and Begum talab would act as alternate source of drinking water for the people of Vijayapura city while Mamadapur tank would help in recharging ground water level', he said.


THE HINDU