Upper Bhadra Project begins trial water release after seven decades of campaigning

A trial release of three TMC of water from the Bhadra reservoir into the Chitradurga Branch Canal under the Upper Bhadra Project began Sunday, marking the first operational test of infrastructure that campaigners have pursued for six to seven decades.

The release was launched at the project's intake point on the Bhadra reservoir. The Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare and Chitradurga district in-charge Minister, who visited the site, called the moment a matter of great satisfaction given the generational struggle.

Decades-long campaign reaches fruition

The minister paid tribute to individuals, associations and farmers' groups who had campaigned for the project over the decades, several of whom were no longer alive to see it realised. He thanked successive Chief Ministers, from S.M. Krishna to incumbent Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, along with former Chief Ministers and district in-charge Ministers, for advancing the project.

Project designed to serve four districts

The Upper Bhadra Project is designed to supply water to 12 taluks across Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru and Davanagere districts. Under the project, 17.4 TMC of water is lifted from the Tunga river into the Bhadra reservoir, and a further 12.5 TMC is drawn from the reservoir itself, together making up the 29.9 TMC that is lifted to the tunnel near Ajjampura. From there, the water is distributed through the Chitradurga Branch Canal and the Tumakuru Branch Canal.

The project envisages filling 367 tanks and providing drip irrigation to 2.25 lakh hectares.

Trial run limited until works complete

Since the drip irrigation infrastructure and the tank-filling works are yet to be completed, the release has for now been restricted to 3 TMC on a trial basis. Mr. Raghumurthy said the arrangement would become permanent once the pending works were finished, and appealed to the public to cooperate without creating confusion until then.

MLAs K. Veerendra Pappi (Chitradurga), M. Chandranna (Holalkere), T.B. Jayachandra (Sira, and a former Minister), G.H. Srinivas (Tarikere) and B.G. Govindappa (Hosadurga), along with other elected representatives and officials, were present.

Source: The Hindu