Govt. decides to rebuilt 900-year-old dam for drinking water

MYSURU: Consecutive droughts and fall in reservoir levels in Cauvery basin have hit both irrigation and drinking water needs of Bengaluru and other towns. This has forced authorities to rebuild the 900-year-old Madhava Manthri dam into a concrete structure across the river.

The dam with about one tmcft of water storage will address drinking water scarcity to an extent. Madhava Manthri dam across the Cauvery was built in 1140 using boulders, sand and lime, breached two years ago and was rebuilt using the same material.

Madhava Manthri is the main source of water for 56 villages in Malavalli taluk, Purigali lift irrigation that irrigates 30,000 acres in Malavalli, a source for Muduguthore lift irrigation covering parts of T Narsipur and Belagawadi and also for hydel power project in Hemmige.

The state government has prepared a detailed project report (DPR) and invited tenders to construct the dam at a cost of Rs 70 crore as any delay will badly hit these projects and put public to hardships during drought.

Sources said there are plans to develop Dangere Jagirdhar dam (last dam structure across Cauvery in Karnataka) to enhance the storage capacity.

Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department has completed modernisation of Madhava Manthri left bank irrigation canal that would check seepage and ensure that the farmers in tail-end also get water.

As the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir is completely dried up, the officials utilised the situation and have reset the sluice gates at all the three levels in order to avoid wastage of water. They have also completed modernisation of Ullahalli and Rampura canals in Kabini achukat.

Cauvery Niravari Nigam managing director Shivashankar said the water storage in these dams would be a great relief to meet drinking water needs of Bengaluru and other towns.

District Minister H C Mahadevappa said they are committed to rebuilding Madhava Manthri dam and complete pending works to implement drip and sprinkler irrigation in Talakadu Hobli in T Narsipur.