Udupi, May 4: The first phase of the Varahi lift irrigation project across Varahi River at Hole Shankaranarayana in Udupi district was formally inaugurated by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday.
The formal function was organised at Government High School Grounds at Siddapura by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigama. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that the entire Varahi Irrigation Project would be completed in next two years.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that when the second phase was completed, it would provide irrigation to a total of 15,700 hectares of land helping the farmers.
M.B. Patil, Major and Medium Irrigation Minister, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, Oscar Fernandes, MP, and others were present.
After 35 years!
The Varahi project was approved by Government of Karnataka in 1979 with an initial project cost of Rs.9.43 crores. The foundation stone for the project was laid by the then Chief Minister late R. Gundu Rao in 1980.
Originally planned as a power generation project, but as the original plan involved submerging of 1,019 acres of forest land, it was changed to lift irrigation project in 2001 as the latter involved submerging of only 129.60 forest land. The irrigation project, on completion, is designed to irrigated 38,800 acres of land of which 15,702 acres are in Kundapura and Udupi taluks.
Over the years, the project cost increased substantially and in first 25 years a sum of Rs.37 crores were spent, but the work was still under progress as on April 2005. After three decades of launching the scheme, the project cost of the scheme escalated to more than Rs.650 crores of which about Rs.375 crores was spent up to 2011 and work was still under progress.
The official reasons given in 2011 by Minister of Water resources, for undue delay in completion of the project were, "hurdles from Revenue Department, changes in design, land acquisition, no objection from Forest Department and untimely rain"
In 2004, the lift irrigation project was brought under the preview of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam and once completed, it is expected to revive the defunct Brahmavar Cooperative Sugar Factory located in the same district. In 2011, a sum of Rs.10 crores was provided to revive the Sugar factory.
The undue delay in completion of project has given scope to doubts about the misappropriation of government funds and certain public have filed writ petition in High court of Karnataka demanding for a CBI investigation.
In 2011, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president demanded Special Investigation Team probe as more than Rs.200 crores was sanctioned to the project within a span of previous three years by previous Government.
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