CHITRADURGA
The Irrigation Implementation Struggle Committee has urged the State Government to include Chitradurga district in the Command Area Development Authority (CADA) of the Bhadra reservoir, saying the district’s farmers need proper representation in decisions on water distribution.
Committee working president B.A. Lingareddy said the Upper Bhadra Project was planned to irrigate dry areas of central Karnataka. Under the project, 2,25,515 hectares across Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru and Davanagere districts are expected to receive micro-irrigation facilities. Water has also been allocated to fill hundreds of lakes. Although Chitradurga is part of the Bhadra command area, its representatives and farmer leaders are not included in the CADA committee, he said.
Lingareddy said recent discussions on releasing Bhadra water highlighted the need for Chitradurga’s participation. He said ministers, legislators and farmer leaders from Davanagere and Shivamogga attended the Irrigation Consultative Committee meeting on August 18. The meeting considered releasing water to various areas, but differences over the proposal left the final decision with the Chief Minister.
The committee said Chitradurga has a legitimate share in Bhadra water and should have representatives at CADA and irrigation advisory meetings. Without representation, farmers could face difficulties in protecting their water rights. The committee also noted that water has already reached Vani Vilas Sagar under the Upper Bhadra project.
The government should immediately include all Chitradurga representatives in the Bhadra CADA, the committee demanded. It also sought release of Bhadra water within a week and supply to lakes in Holalkere taluk, including Gonur Lake. B.A. Lingareddy, K.R. Dayanand, Chickappanahalli Shanmukha, Hampayyanamalige Dhananjaya and G. Suresh Babu supported the demand.
