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The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bommai sees need for apolitical struggle to get Bedti-Varada river linking project launched
An apolitical struggle is needed to get the Bedti-Varada river linking project launched, BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said in Haveri on Sunday. He said that the Union government has agreed to consider positively the demand for such a project. The former Chief Minister was speaking at a preliminary meeting on the river linking project in Haveri. 'I feel there is a surge of public support for the Bedti-Varada river linking project. We should all realise that nothing is greater than people's power. Just as small streams join to form a river, these small rivers of farmers will merge into a great river, as this project requires an apolitical struggle to be fulfilled,' Mr. Bommai said. Addressing the meeting on the Hukkeri Mutt premises, he said that by managing rivers properly, water can be utilised efficiently. 'Utilising rivers that flow westwards is a big challenge. This raises environmental, forest and biodiversity concerns. If about 100 acres are submerged, opposition arises and cases reach the Supreme Court. Even in the Mahadayi issue, it was not just Goans who opposed it but also environmentalists from Karnataka,' he said. Mr. Bommai said that the river linking project has been on the agenda for many years. It was the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who made river linking a national issue. There are river linking projects elsewhere too. Projects south of the Vindhya mountains face major challenges. River linking helps control floods and makes water available where it is scarce. 'The Varada-Bedti river linking is among the first prospective projects. In 2005, when the former MP Manjunath Konnur and BJP MP Govind Karjol made a move to implement it, there was strong opposition,' he said. The BJP MP said that when he was Water Resources Minister, he examined the environmental issues and made some changes in 2017. Another modification was made in 2022. There are two proposals — one for Varada-Bedti and the other for Bedti-Dharma-Varada link. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) is not yet ready but a pre-feasibility report exists. The State has approved it. He said he met Union Water Resources Minister C.R. Patil and Minister V. Somanna and held discussions with them. They have assured a positive response within a week, he said. 'Once the DPR is ready, we will know exactly how much water can he used. There are streams like Hirehalla, Bedti and Shalmala. They will know how much water Varada can supply for use in Haveri district. They must also plan where to store this water so that fertile land are not submerged. They need to work with awareness at every stage of this project,' he said. 'We must convince people in Uttara Kannada that the revised project will not harm them. With sincerity, every problem can be solved. We must think about how to utilise approximately 26 tmcft of water. This cannot happen in a day. It is a long process and we must be prepared. We must engage in politics to demand water for our district but the struggle must be non-partisan. When Maharashtra opposed the move to raise the Almatti dam height, all of their party members united. In the Cauvery issue, all political leaders in Tamil Nadu stand together. Likewise, to ensure drinking water for our farmers, everyone must unite. We must form a committee with all MLAs, farmer leaders and get the blessings of swamijis to take this forward,' he said. The BJP MP said that obstacles will come but they must overcome them to reach the goal. Nothing is greater than people's power. That people's power has emerged here. Just as small streams join to form a river, the Bedti stream will merge with the Tungabhadra to become a great river. The former MP Manjunath Konnur has played a big role in keeping the Bedti-Varada struggle going. Though he has faced political difficulties, God will bless his stand for the cause. Even if our views differ, the goal is the same and it must be achieved together. Positive politics will begin in Haveri district. The Bedti-Varada river linking must happen,' he said. Seers of some religious maths, political leaders, farmers leaders and others were present.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Water woes: Tungabhadra dam faces water loss and upgrade delays
Crest Gate Replacement In A Limbo; Balancing Reservoir Needed Munirabad (Koppal): It has been a year since the 19th crest gate of the Tungabhadra reservoir was swept away on Aug 10, 2024. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Still, there are no signs that the old crest gates will be replaced. Due to the deteriorated condition of all 33 crest gates, the current water storage is limited to 80 tmcft, when compared to the total capacity of 101 tmcft. However, there are accusations that the Tungabhadra Board is still engaged in finalising the tender process. By the end of July, over 100 tmcft flowed into Andhra Pradesh. However, chief engineer L Basavaraj assures that the crest gates will be replaced soon. "Favourable monsoon conditions maintained water flow into the Tungabhadra River throughout July. Given the good rainfall, another 100 tmcft of water is likely to flow out," stated Tungabhadra Board sources. The , constructed 71 years ago, initially had a storage capacity of 133 tmcft. However, with half a tmcft of silt deposited annually, the dam's storage capacity decreased to 101 tmcft in the past thirty years. The water loss resulting from silt deposits is the state's allocation. Consequently, a plan was initiated thirty years ago to develop a balancing reservoir near Navali village in Gangavathi taluk for its storage. The detailed project report (DPR) was completed and shared with the authorities of Andhra Pradesh. Technical approval was secured, with only the political decision remaining. Nonetheless, former CM Basavaraj Bommai pointed out during his visit last year that the Siddaramaiah-led state govt has failed to take any action to speed up the process. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He urged the CM to communicate with his counterparts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to advance the construction of the parallel dam, which could save 28 tmcft of water yearly for the state. Considering the annual yield of 400 tmcft from the Tungabhadra dam, the amount of water that will flow into Andhra Pradesh this year is estimated to be 280 tmcft. "Although the state can use half of this, we do not have any dams to store the extra water. If the Navali balancing reservoir was built, we could have expanded our irrigation area by using this water," lamented CA Galeppa, district president of Farmers' Association, Vijayanagara.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
House panel urges MSDE to align skill schemes with local industry needs
The parliamentary standing committee on skill development has urged the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to prioritise aligning training programmes with the 'demand of the local needs for skills'. In its latest report, the panel also called for the 'early completion and publication' of skill gap reports to address workforce deficiencies, improve individual capabilities, and enhance employability by helping workers adapt to changing demands. 'The committee attaches priority to aligning skill development programmes with the demand of the region/local needs for skills and urges the ministry for early completion and publication of the report so that skill gaps are addressed, individual skills improved and adaptation to changes facilitated, thereby enhancing employability,' the report noted. The committee, headed by Basavaraj Bommai, submitted its report to Parliament on Wednesday. Concerns over PMKVY implementation Earlier, while reviewing the government's flagship Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the panel highlighted a disconnect between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and industry. It said that training often fails to reflect actual local demand for skills, leading to a mismatch between the programme's output and local economic needs. 'The committee therefore desired the ministry to undertake skill gap assessments on a regular basis and enhance the programme's effectiveness by aligning PMKVY with the industry to match the local economic needs for making skill training programmes employable and creating a skills ecosystem with appropriate governance to improve individual skills and adapt to changes,' the report said. Skill gap study and state engagement The skill ministry informed the panel it is conducting a national-level skill gap study through the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) under the Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) scheme. It is also engaging with states, central ministries and departments, and sector skill councils (SSCs) to identify skill gaps and allocate PMKVY 4.0 targets accordingly. 'The prevalence of skill gaps and underutilisation of funds indicate that the awareness programme regarding the scheme has not reached the grassroots level,' the committee noted. Delays in PM Vishwakarma rollout The panel expressed concern over delays in implementing the PM Vishwakarma scheme in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which have yet to set up monitoring and district implementation committees. 'The committee expresses concern and urges the ministry to pursue these states vigorously so that such committees are constituted expeditiously and the PM Vishwakarma Scheme is made applicable in all the States/UTs at the earliest,' the report said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bedti-Varada river-linking project gets a new eco-friendly design
Haveri: The Bedti-Varada river-linking project, which was previously halted due to strong opposition from environmentalists, is now being redesigned aimed at minimising environmental impact and improving irrigation in North Karnataka. The updated plan includes a new approach to channel water from the Bedti River to the Varada River through two routes. As the project, which has been under discussion for nearly 25 years, faced considerable opposition from the residents in the Bedti basin, the govt showed no interest in implementing it. However, the project has garnered the support of Haveri MP Basavaraj Bommai. The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has submitted a modified plan for the project from its Bangalore divisional office to Delhi for review. The new design outlines plans to transfer 18.4 TMC of water from the Bedti River to the Varada River through two linkages. The first approach involves directly lifting water from the Bedti River to the Varada River without disturbing the surrounding area. The second approach entails storing water in the Dharma reservoir, which will then be channeled to the Varada River. The two routes are allocated 10.6 TMC and 7.6 TMC of water, respectively. It is estimated that 18 TMC of water can be utilised from the Bedti-Varada River-Linking project. The primary objective of the project is to provide irrigation support to the districts of Haveri, Gadag, Koppal, and Raichur. Proponents argue that the water from the Bedti River, which flows through the Western Ghats and ultimately drained into the sea, is underutilised. The NWDA initiated a study on the Bedti River diversion project as early as 2003, but it was abandoned due to opposition from the locals. "The Bedti-Varada River-Linking is a long-awaited project that was held up due to concerns about its environmental impact. Now, efforts are being made to implement the project in an eco-friendly manner. I will meet with Union minister of Jal Shakti, CR Patil, next week to discuss the project. A public awareness meeting will be held in Haveri on Aug 10, followed by another meeting in Gadag district," said Bommai. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Deccan Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
K'taka leaders urge Patil to ignore Maha objection on Almatti dam height
Emerging from the meeting, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters that Maharashtra unnecessarily opposed the state proposal to increase the height of Almatti reservoir from current 519 metres to to 524 metres as part of phase-II of the Upper Krishna Project.
