Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar offered bagina to river Bhadra at Lakkavalli in Tarikere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district on Friday.
The reservoir with a total capacity of 71.5 tmc is full, as the catchment area witnessed a good monsoon.
The water was being released to the canals to benefit farmers in the command area. Mr. Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, was accompanied by Minister for Horticulture S.S. Mallikarjun, MP for Davangere Prabha Mallikarjun, and other legislators.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Mr. Shivakumar said that the Bhadra river had been the lifeline of farmers in five districts. “Farmers neither get a salary nor pension. They work hard in the fields and get returns only if there are good rains. This year, the dam is full due to rains in the catchment area. The government is committed to helping the farmers by developing the canals,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government had spent ₹11,000 crore for irrigation projects, and ₹362 crore had been spent in Channagiri taluk alone. Regarding the Upper Bhadra project, he said the Central government had promised ₹5,500 crore for the project. However, it was not released.
Mr. Shivakumar also inaugurated a travellers’ bungalow at B.R. Project on the occasion.
Published – September 12, 2025 07:59 pm IST
