State president of Raita Sena Viresh Sobaradmath has said that there is large-scale corruption in the implementation of irrigation schemes in North Karnataka and action has not been taken so far, though such incidents have been brought to the notice of the authorities concerned.
Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Thursday, Mr. Sobaradmath said that tenders were floated during 2016-17 for the renovation of Malaprabha Upper Bank Canal at an estimated cost of ₹2,168.39 crore and there has been large-scale corruption right from the process of preparing estimate, detailed project report and the subsequent implementation.
He also said that there is large-scale corruption in the ongoing work under the Tupparihalla project worth ₹312 crore.
He said officials in the Irrigation Department have been serving in the same place for close to 15-18 years resulting in corruption.
Mr. Sobaradmath said that the failure to shift nine department head offices, including the office of the Managing Director of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL), as per the recommendations of D. Nanjundappa Committee on Regional Imbalance, is the root cause of increased corruption in the department.
He announced that farmers from 11 taluks of four districts will launch an indefinite agitation in front of the office of the Chief Engineer of KNNL in Dharwad on Independence Day, condemning the delay in taking action against the corrupt officials and the failure to initiate inquiry into the whole issue.
A letter in this regard has already been sent to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said.
Regarding the Mahadayi project, he said that the Raita Sena has urged the Chief Minister to initiate steps to take the requisite permissions from the competent authorities for implementing the Kalasa Banduri Nala Project.
Raita Sena office-bearers Mallikarjun, Guru Rayanagoudar and others were present.
