Forced to look beyond Cauvery River to redress Bangalore’s water woes, the government is all set to launch work on rejuvenation of Arkavathy river in May to increase the inflow into Thippagondanahalli reservoir.
Forced to look beyond Cauvery River to redress Bangalore’s water woes, the government is all set to launch work on rejuvenation of Arkavathy river in May to increase the inflow into Thippagondanahalli reservoir.
Thippagondanahalli reservoir, which was the main water source for Bangalore till the early 1980s, has experienced steady decline in inflow of water due to encroachments in Arkavathy catchment area.
Replying to a question from SR Vishwanath of BJP in legislative assembly, water resources minister Basavaraj Bommai said catchment area of the 190km long river has been divided into three sub-catchment areas. The survey and detailed project report for the first two segments of the catchment area — Hesarghatta and Kumudwathi — have been completed.
The detailed project report for the third stage — Arkavathy sub-catchment area from Hesarghatta reservoir to Thippagondanahalli reservoir — is in progress. So far, Rs15.95 crore has been released for the purpose. Work on rejuvenation of the river would be launched in May and money would not be a constraint for the project, Bommai said.
Earlier, expressing concern over rampant encroachment and illegal mining in the catchment area of Arkavathy, Vishwananth and Congress member Dinesh Gundurao wanted the state government to clear all encroachments and stop construction of new structures.
Bommai assured that encroachments would be cleared. The catchment area has 150 big tanks and 1,084 small tanks along the path of the river.
Removal of encroachments and smooth flow of the river would bring in adequate water to these tanks and Thippagondanahalli reservoir and augment water supply to Bangalore, Bommai said.
The state government has already declared Hesarghatta-Tippagondanahalli sub-catchment area as protected area banning construction of any new structures there.
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