Bengaluru, The Karnataka government has prepared a ₹ 150 crore comprehensive project report for rejuvenating 500 lakes in seven districts under a World Bank-assisted programme, state minister Eshwar Khandre said on Tuesday.
The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister directed the chief executive officers of the concerned zilla panchayats to expedite the lake development works. During a video conference with the CEOs of Zilla Panchayats at his office in Vikas Soudha here on drinking water issues in villages amid the drought-like situation, Khandre directed officials to undertake desilting, bund repairs and raising, beautification works and repairs to canals under the World Bank-assisted programme in collaboration with Centre’s rural employment guarantee programme, VB-G RAM G.
Under the project, rejuvenation works have been planned for 68 lakes in Bengaluru Rural, 67 in Bengaluru Urban, 44 in Bidar, 90 in Chikkaballapur, 49 in Kalaburagi, 96 in Tumakuru and 86 in Kolar district, he said. Workers engaged under VB-G Ram G should be paid their wages within 15 days. “If there is good post-monsoon rainfall, these lakes will receive water. This will help address the water shortage that may arise during the next summer.
It will also improve soil moisture and groundwater levels,” Khandre said, stressing the need to take up the work immediately. In case of complaints about contaminated water, officials should immediately inspect the entire supply chain, from the source to household taps, and take measures to prevent sewage or wastewater from entering the drinking water system, he said. With state housing schemes now brought under the ambit of the rural employment guarantee programme, there is scope to provide employment in urban and rural areas as well, he said. “If workers do not receive wages even after a month, they will stop coming for work, defeating the very purpose of the programme,” he said.
