Many parched waterbodies in villages surrounding Mysuru city are expected to get back their lost glory as the project of filling up these tanks through lift irrigation, drawing water from the backwaters of Krishnaraja Sagar dam was launched on Friday.
Several lakes — once major water sources for the local community — had run dry owing to the obstruction in freshwater flow, encroachment of stormwater drains, and dumping of solid waste. Another reason for the depletion of water in tanks has been the drop in groundwater, according to authorities.
With the implementation of the lift irrigation project at Anandur village in the taluk, over a dozen tanks are expected to get water from the backwaters. The project will also help raise groundwater in and around the villages.
Minister in charge of Mysuru district V. Somanna and Minister for Law and Minor Irrigation J.C. Madhuswamy initiated the project at a programme organised at Yelachanahalli on the outskirts of Mysuru on Friday. As many as 16 tanks in 13 villages, including Erappanna Koppalu, Nagawala, Bommenahalli,, Hulilalu, Maratikyathanahalli and Dasanakoppal will be filled with the lift irrigation in Anandur. The project has been taken up at a cost of ₹50 crore. As part of it, water will be lifted from the backwaters 90 days a year (20 hours daily). A total of 87.73 million cubic feet of water will be lifted.
A pump house will be constructed by installing two heavy duty pumps of 525 HP capacity to transfer water to tanks through the 550 mm diameter pipelines to the distribution point located at a distance of 8.15 km from the source. The waterbodies that will benefit are: Karakanahalli lake, Karakanahalli katte, Erappanakoppal lake, Nagawala lake, Hulilalu lake, Huhilalu katte, Bommenahalli lake, Sahukarahundi lake, Sahukarahundi katte, Jettihundi lake, Shankarapura Hosahalli lake, Dasanakoppal lake, Maratikyathanahalli lake, Kergalli lake, Ijanahundi lake and Linganbudhi lake.
A second lift irrigation project at Anandur aims to fill up seven lakes in Maidanahalli, Megalapura, Yelwala, Gungral Chatra, Yelachanahalli and Chikkannahalli. The cost of this project is ₹15 crore and around 44.15 million cubic feet of water will be lifted from the backwaters for this. Two pumps of 225 HP capacity will pump water. The discharge capacity is at the rate of 7 cusecs.
