A collaborative effort by officials from various departments led to the identification and subsequent removal of pipelines in the canal of Tungabhadra left bank, where illicit water diversion had been taking place. A significant step as a team conducted a successful operation to clear the illicit pipelines. In a proactive move to curb water theft, the District Collector of Koppal, along with the Chief Engineer of the Tungabhadra Tidying Authority, has established a dedicated task force comprising personnel from various sectors to address this issue.
Against this backdrop, a group of officials, headed by Executive Engineer MS Godekar from the Irrigation Department, and accompanied by representatives from the Police, Revenue, Public Works, and Panchayat Raj Departments, carried out a joint operation. Assisted by a JCB, they unveiled an unsanctioned pipeline’s presence in the proximity of the 31st distribution canal, falling under the purview of Waddarahatti No-2 Division in this region.
Meanwhile, authorities have brought to light an incident of water theft through the installation of an illicit pipeline connected to the Tungabhadra left bank canal, situated in the vicinity of Jirala Kalgudi and Chikkadankankal village within the jurisdiction of Kanakagiri taluk. Against this backdrop, Vishwanath Murdi, the Tehsildar of Kanakagiri, personally visited the site to conduct a thorough inspection. Under the guidance of the Tehsildar, a team of officials orchestrated an operation aimed at dismantling the unauthorized pipeline. Vishwanath Murdi, the Tehsildar, emphasized that their investigation has unveiled over ten similar instances, all of which are slated for formal complaints.
Tahsildar’s On-Site Examination: Manjunath Hiremath, the Tahsildar, conducted a site visit on the preceding Saturday, prompted by a complaint about water pilferage. The alleged theft involved drilling into the primary canal on Tungabhadra’s left bank and illicitly affixing a pipeline. Accompanied by officials from the Irrigation department, the Tahsildar reached the site after receiving information about the water diversion occurring through the installation of a pipeline originating from the Tungabhadra left bank canal, which runs adjacent to Dasana in the taluk.
In response to these developments, Manjunath Hiremath, the Tahsildar, remarked, “We’ve been informed of grievances regarding diminishing water volumes meant for Raichur, impacting both drinking and agricultural usage due to apparent water theft upstream. In light of these concerns, we probed the matter but found no evident instances. Our section of the canal maintains a water level of 13 gauge. Despite the Irrigation Department’s prescribed standard, during our visit to the water gauge point near Dasanal, the water flow registered at 13 points.”
