What was once considered a boon, filling of tanks through lift irrigation, seems to have aggravated the situation, causing floods in Channapatna taluk. This has raised questions on the lift irrigation schemes to fill tanks in the region.
Once drought-prone, the taluk’s farmers have been beneficiaries of the lift irrigation projects taken up by the Kaveri Neeravari Nigam over the last 10 years. In the summer of 2022 also, most of the taluk’s 112 tanks were filled.
With most of the tanks full, heavy rains that has lashed the taluk over the past few weeks has only led them to overflow. Honganuru, Banduru, B.V. Halli, Haruru, Maluru, Bramhanipura, Kodamballi, and other major lakes overflowed on Monday, causing a flood in their catchment areas.
The floods have caused large-scale crop damage too. “This is an unprecedented situation: floods in a drought-prone taluk like ours. We have benefited from filling up of tanks over the past decade. But heavy rains over the last few weeks has caused floods and for the first time caused crop damage due to heavy rains and floods. The government should immediately offer a helping hand to the farmers,” said local farmer leader C. Puttaswamy.
The widening of the Bengaluru-Mysuru national highway has also allegedly encroached on Ramammana Kere, a major lake on the outskirts of Channapatna city. This has reportedly disrupted the tank bund, causing flooding of the Channapatna railway station and other parts of the city on Monday.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is building a flyover and an underpass near Tittamaranahalli village. This has reportedly encroached Ramammana Kere and disrupted the tank bund. Local residents have protested the design flaw and demanded that the highway design be changed to ensure lakes are preserved.
