Nargund farmers accuse canal maintenance fund misuse, confront irrigation officials, secure written assurance for urgent desilting work.
Nargund
Farmers in Konnur village of Nargund taluk confronted irrigation department officials, alleging large-scale misuse of funds meant for canal maintenance and poor upkeep of irrigation infrastructure in the region.
Angered farmers reportedly took Assistant Executive Engineer P. E. Nagaraj of the Konnur sewage main canal sub-division to the site and questioned him over the alleged failure to carry out proper desilting and maintenance works despite the release of substantial annual funds.
Farmers alleged that although lakhs of rupees are sanctioned every year for canal maintenance, the irrigation network remains clogged with silt and overgrown vegetation. They claimed that bills have been cleared for contractors based on partial or unverified work, with GPS-tagged photographs allegedly attached to official records to justify payments.
The Konnur main canal, which spans about 18 kilometres from Bellery to Hole Alur and is meant to irrigate nearly 3,300 hectares through 20 distributary canals, has reportedly been neglected. Farmers said the canals are heavily silted, overgrown with weeds, and difficult to access even for basic inspection or maintenance activities.
They further alleged that due to poor maintenance, excess water has entered farmlands in some areas, turning fertile land into waterlogged and saline-affected soil. Repeated complaints to officials, they said, have not resulted in effective action, leading to growing frustration among the farming community.
During the confrontation, the engineer assured farmers in writing that desilting work would be completed within a few days and that the issues would be addressed in phases. Following this assurance, the farmers withdrew their protest.
Representatives of farmer organisations, including the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiiru Sene, were present during the incident and supported the demand for accountability and immediate restoration of canal maintenance works.