Benne Hella to the rescue of Mahadayi farmers?

Hubballi: If everything goes according to plan, drought-prone farmers of Mumbai-Karnataka region, who have been waiting in vain for Mahadayi river water, could get some relief from the ambitious project to use the Benne Halla stream water for irrigation.

The Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited has given the job of conducting a survey of the stream to a Bengaluru  company , which is expected to submit a comprehensive report in a few months on use of its water for irrigation and measures to prevent flash floods, which  devastated the region in 2009, claiming several lives.

The Benne Halla stream that originates in  Dundasi village of Haveri district, flows over 138 kms to join the Malaprabha river at Menasagi village in Gadag district. With 42 villages situated on its banks bearing the brunt of  the stream flooding at intervals, the government has already shifted 11. But it has failed to implement the recommendations of  the Dr Paramashivaiah Committee, which submitted its report in 2013.

"The committee estimated that the Benne Halla stream had 14 to 22 tmc water during the monsoon. It recommended modernisation of the existing small bridges across it and clearing of encroachments to prevent wastage of stream water and help tail-end farmers get irrigation," says Mr Raghavendra Jalagar,  assistant engineer, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam. 

Several farmers with big agriculture landholdings have already resorted to various method in Gadag and Dharwad district to store the flood water in a pond . But small and marginal farmers cannot afford to draw  water from the stream due to the huge expense involved and are backing the movement for diversion of Mahadayi river water to the Malaprabha reservoir to  ensure irrigation for those at the tail-end.