The Hindu : Sindhia seeks probe into canal breaches

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 09, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Sindhia seeks probe into canal breaches

By Our Staff Correspondent

HOSPET Sept. 8. P.G.R. Sindhia, Floor Leader of the Janata Dal (U) in the Legislative Assembly, while criticising the ministers concerned for not bothering to visit the places where canals had breached, has urged the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna to order an inquiry by retired officials of the Irrigation Department.

He was speaking to presspersons after visiting the breaches in the high-level and the low-level canals of the Tungabhadra reservoir and the ancient Kamalapur tank on Saturday.

Even five days after such a major breach, not one of the ministers had not bothered to visit the place and try to ascertain as to how the breach occurred and the problems that had been caused to the farmers in the area, he said. For the first time, both the canals on the right bank breached simultaneously. A major portion of the concrete wall of the high-level canal, which passes through an elevated area, collapsed at the 14.8 km point. Around 3,400 cusecs of water gushed out and washed away a portion of the low-level canal passing near by which had about 1,700 cusecs of water flowing in it. The pressure of the water from the high-level canal entering the low-level canal caused another breach at a weak point. The water from the two canals breached the ancient tank at Kamalapur and inundated low-lying areas and fields in the vicinity.

Both the canals cater to the irrigation needs of farmers in the four taluks of Bellary District and also in Kurnool and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh. The two main canals are under the control of the Tungabhadra Board.

The board has begun repairing the canals by erecting ring bunds and promised to release water into the canals in a day or two.

Mr. Sindhia was of the view that due to lack of proper annual maintenance, the canals were in danger of breaching elsewhere.

He also urged Mr. Krishna to order assessment of the damage caused by the breaches and arrange for payment of compensation to the affected farmers.

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