RESERVOIR UNDER THREAT; CREST GATE REPLACED

Madikeri June 10, 2006

The irrigation secretary Mahesh yesterday inspected the Harangi reservoir and supervised repair of a crest gate facing danger.

The reservoir crest gate number 3 at Harangi was in danger. With the water level beating last years record the reservoir was facing extreme danger. Talking to this correspondent, Mahesh told that the concrete blocks of the gate were broken and the gate would have lost grip any day. This would have caused great consequences, he noted. He said that the radial gates undergo such dilapidation and that should be supervised on time.

He expressed satisfaction over the storage of water this year. With the inflow of 3.44 TMC, the water level this year is fifty percent more, he said. Irrigation and drinking water would be available aplenty this season, he opined.

Meanwhile, He noted that the Cauvery Tribunal is assessing the situation without inspecting the facts and is stating that Karnataka requires only 251 TMC of water and 395 TMC should be let to Tamilnadu. In reality, Karnataka requires 408 TMC of water, he said. However, state has already released 400 TMC of water to Tamilnadu, he announced.

Mahesh also disclosed that state government is spending rupees 18 crore for different irrigation projects in Karnataka. While 115 projects are in the anvil, 45 of them are underway, he said.

Around 729 TMC of water would be released for irrigation and drinking through Upper Krishna project

The irrigation secretary also visited Talacauvery and Bhagamandala yesterday and took stock of the developmental works. Advisor to Cauvery development Board T.D.Manmohan, Chief commissioner Devaraj and others accompanied him. PWD executive engineers Basappa, AEE Satyanarayan, Mujarai manager Sampath Kumar were present.

FAKE PASSPORT RACKET BUSTED;

THE Intelligence wing of police has busted a fake passport racket and arrested three persons.

A resident of Siddapur here, Askar Pasha, a Tibetan girl and another person were arrested at Ernakulam airport by the Intelligence department in connection with the fake passport racket. The sleuths suspect the hands of higher officials in the passport racket as a Tibetan girl was given a fake passport in the name of Sapura Banu of Gonicoppa. The Tibetan girl had shed nearly rupees eight lakh to fetch the passport and go to Kuwait.

The sleuths suspect the involvement of few traveling agencies functioning in Kodagu and other places.