VIJAYAPURA
Irrigation authorities have cracked down on widespread water theft affecting farming communities in northern Karnataka. Officials from Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited (KBJNL) have detected more than 30 separate instances of intentional damage to local water delivery infrastructure.
The illegal siphoning operations were discovered along two specific stretches of the Malaghan West Canal, which operates under the Mulwad Irrigation Project situated in Babaleshwar taluk. Local farmers had previously raised formal grievances noting that water flow was severely restricted, managing to reach only the first hundred kilometers of the total 118.60-kilometer canal network while completely starving tail-end agricultural lands.
Upon conducting field inspections, engineering teams found that miscreants had deliberately drilled holes into the canal structures across multiple villages, including Yakkundi, Hokkundi, Arjunagi, and Hebbalati. Unauthorized PVC pipes measuring 4 to 6 inches in diameter were fitted directly into these breaches to illegally divert precious water toward nearby private farmlands. Investigators also noted that certain individuals involved in the water theft had previously participated in local demonstrations demanding better water supply.
Although utility workers had previously attempted to patch similar illegal outlets using cement concrete, culprits repeatedly drilled fresh holes to bypass the repairs. In response to this persistent defiance, KBJNL Executive Engineer Rajendra Y. Rudagi confirmed that official legal proceedings have now been initiated against all identified violators. Management has issued strict warnings that any future tampering with public irrigation assets will invite severe criminal prosecution.
