Irregularities surrounding Varahi should be fixed in 15 days – Pramod Madhwaraj
Manipal: “The irregularities surrounding Varahi Irrigation Project should be fixed in 15 days”, said Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Fisheries and Minister in-charge District Pramod Madhwaraj. He was speaking at the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting at Dr V S Acharya Memorial Hall, Rajathadri, Manipal here on February 20.
MLC Pratap Chandra Shetty said that Varahi Irrigation project was not serving the actual purpose of the farmers. The delivery pipes installed in the lift irrigation project for the left bank canal were leaking. He also said that irregularities should be fixed and the officials should be held accountable.
Madhwaraj said that he will visit the Varahi project site on March 6 and review the ongoing work there. He instructed the officials to ensure that the irrigation needs are effectively addressed by monitoring the water supply and also fixing the leakages in the pipeline connecting the lift irrigation project to the left bank canal.
The officials managing the Varahi Irrigation project said that the construction of the 26 km of LBC has been completed while the further stretch of the canal covering 33 km is facing land acquisition issues. The land which the canal covers is in residential areas and other amenities and there is a need for off-taking of the canal for 12 km. The survey has to be initiated for off taking the canal, and the tender process has to be initiated for the same, he added.
PWD Engineer said that 800 metric tons of sand is available for sale, the government projects have been supplied with sand which is procured from the areas reserved for PWD. ZP Standing Committee President Babu Shetty said that a vigil has to be maintained in the district borders to prevent sand from being transported to other districts. The Minister said that action will be initiated against the offenders who transport sand to other districts. He rejected the demand to reduce fines imposed on the illegal sand, the fine pattern followed by Dakshina Kannada district is followed. If the district administration fails in implementing effective measures in controlling sand mining it will lead to negative impact on the green tribunal’s verdict.
The state government has submitted a proposal on CRZ to the central government urging for relaxation that has been given to Kerala and Goa. He said that the BJP government’s failure in sending the proposal to the central government in 2011 has led to the CRZ crisis in the district.
Madhwaraj also warned against the over-estimation of projects saying it will be subjected to scrutiny. The NH toll issue witnessed arguments between Madhwaraj and Kota Srinivas Poojary. Poojary said that government has created problems for the people by imposing Section 144. Madhwaraj said the union government should take a firm stand on the toll issues.
Kundapur MLA Haladi Srinivas Shetty, ZP Vice President Sheila K Shetty, Deputy Commissioner T. Venkatesh, ZP CEO Priyanka Mary Francis and others were present.