Bengaluru: Water Resources Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy has directed officials to take urgent measures to prevent water wastage at the Markandeya reservoir in Belagavi district and expedite pending irrigation works.
Chairing a review meeting at Vikas Soudha on the progress of various water resources and irrigation projects in the district, Cheluvarayaswamy called for a comprehensive technical assessment of the reservoir, including water leakage and the condition of the dam. Public Works and Belagavi district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi was present at the meeting.
The minister stressed that every effort should be made to conserve the water stored in the reservoir, warning that continued losses could affect irrigation supplies and potentially aggravate drinking water concerns in the future.
Officials were asked to identify the causes of water leakage and other technical deficiencies and initiate corrective measures without delay. Cheluvarayaswamy also directed them to prepare and implement necessary rehabilitation and strengthening works for the dam after a detailed assessment of its structural condition.
Reviewing pending irrigation projects in Belagavi, the minister said works should not remain incomplete for years due to administrative or technical hurdles. He directed officials to resolve bottlenecks and set clear timelines for completing projects already taken up.
“Starting works and leaving them incomplete midway raises questions over the utilisation of public money. Existing projects should therefore be completed on priority,” he said.
The minister also reviewed the Markandeya Right Bank Canal project and instructed officials to address technical and operational issues affecting the delivery of irrigation water to farmers.
A detailed assessment of the project’s present status, pending works and technical constraints should be undertaken, he said, adding that the system must be strengthened to ensure water reaches farmers’ fields efficiently.
Cheluvarayaswamy further directed officials of the concerned departments to improve coordination and ensure that implementation of irrigation projects does not suffer delays.
Officials of the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam, engineers and the minister’s personal secretaries attended the meeting.
