Desilting of tanks to continue: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JUNE 15. The Chief Minister, Mr. S.M. Krishna, today declared that the State Government project to desilt tanks with World Bank assistance would continue. The World Bank had already approved, in principle, loans for the project.

Mr. Krishna referred to the proposal of the Union Water Resources Ministry for inspection of the tanks before the desilting operations commenced and said the project had nothing to do with the Cauvery waters dispute as these tanks had been in existence even before the construction of the Krishnarajasagar dam.

Speaking at a function to mark the laying of the foundation stone for the building complex of the Krishik Sarvodaya Foundation here, Mr. Krishna said the renovation of tanks was essential, but he had no objection to the Union Water Resources Ministry inspecting the tanks, if it insisted.

Karnataka had sought Rs. 996 crores for the ``Jalasamvardhane'' scheme under which it was planned to provide tanks in all the 753 hoblis of the State either by desilting existing ones or constructing new ones.

On Thursday, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Mr. Kumar Bangarappa, had stated that the Central Water Commission had directed the State not to desilt the tanks in the Cauvery Basin without its approval. He said the CWC had written a letter about three weeks ago pointing out that the Cauvery issue was pending before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, adding that the Chief Minister's office had replied to that letter.

He had said the CWC's directive was based on the grounds that the water storage in the tanks in the Cauvery Basin would increase if they were desilted. He added that Karnataka would desilt tanks which were independent of the Cauvery and its tributaries.

On Thursday evening, the Governor, Ms. V.S. Rama Devi, had notified that the ``Jalasamvardhane'' scheme had been taken out of the Water Resources Ministry and would handled by the Chief Minister. However, Mr. H.K. Patil would continue to be in charge of Major Irrigation and Medium Irrigation, while Mr. Kumar Bangarappa would be in charge of Minor Irrigation.

In a clarification today, the Chief Minister said that since the ``Jalasamvardhane'' programme involved coordination between Revenue, Forest and Finance departments, and also in view of the World Bank assistance, he had taken charge of the programme. He said Mr. Kumar Bangarappa had not been divested of any portfolio.

In fact, he had been empowered as the Vice-President who would continue as the executive head of the ``Jalasamvardhane'' project. This decision had been taken about 20 days ago, he said, adding that Mr. Kumar Bangarappa was an able administrator.

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