Farmers flay move to supply water from Varahi to Baje

The farmers in and around Varahi irrigation project area objected to sending water for drinking purpose to Baje reservoir in Udupi from Varahi.

Raising the issue at the Raitha Samparka Sabhe, farmers of the surrounding villages maintained that water from the Varahi River belongs to Byndoor assembly constituency. Sadly, villages near the river are facing acute drinking water shortage and the respective gram panchayats spend lakhs of rupees to supply tanker water. The region could also face a drought in summer. How then can water from the river be sent to Baje, when the area itself is suffering a water shortage? they questioned. They demanded that drinking water should first be assured to villages surrounding the irrigation project and later to rest of the areas.

Farmers also demanded compensation for the crop loss in 100 acres of farmland at Molahalli.

District-in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj said that he would hold meetings at every stage of the project execution and the officials will interact with the people in the area. They will ensure that there are no differences and all issues will be sorted out before the project takes off.

With regard to the deemed forest areas, the minister said that nearly 1500 acres of deemed forest area out of 2200 acres is being exempted and the proposal is in the final phase of approval.

Ex-serviceman Bhaskar Poojary demanded immediate justice in his pending application under form 53 which pertains to regularisation of land that comes under protected forest area in Nadpalu. The deputy commissioner has assured to hold an inquiry into the issue.

Other issues which were discussed are drinking water problems, ration cards, 94C and 94CC, connective stretches to farmland, CRZ, distribution of RTC, ban on sand mining, irregularities in the maintenance of vented dams, unavailability of farm machinery on time and the shortage of fertilizers.