Karnataka CM dedicates a rebirthed Tungabhadra dam to farmers of three southern states

Koppal: Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has said the three states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have together taken a ‘historic consensus decision’ to protect the interests of farmers in the Tungabhadra river basin.

Speaking after inaugurating 33 spillway gates of the Tungabhadra dam at an event at the Munirabad Government High School grounds in Koppal district recently, the CM said: “This is a historic event for South India. When the 19th gate broke off, then district in-charge minister, Shivaraj Tangadagi, and officials called me at midnight, expressing alarm that the dam was shaking. I visited the site at 8 am the next morning and immediately consulted experts on what needed to be done. The gate was replaced within a week. Through this, the farmers of this region were protected.”

“When the gate broke off, the Opposition levelled sharp criticisms. It was possible to carry out such an important task only through the blessings of Goddess Sharada, Huligemma, Huchcharayaswamy, Ajjayya, Hampi’s Virupaksha, and Raghavendra Swamy. Our government decided to replace the 33 gates, and God has given us the opportunity to protect the farmers of these three states. Back then, I was Irrigation Minister. Today, I am Chief Minister. Even so, I remain your servant and your kinsman,” he said.

“The Tungabhadra dam has been protected. There is a saying that one who forgets history cannot create history. Today, under the leadership of Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, the chief ministers of three states have created history. Our goal is to create history rather than merely reading and recalling it. I keep saying that coming together is a beginning, discussing together is progress, and working together is success. Under the leadership of C.R. Patil, we chief ministers have been able to protect our states,” Shivakumar said.

He went on to add that discussions have been held on how to safeguard and protect farming families, including on an appeal by farmer leaders regarding saving the 33 TMC of water in this dam. After lengthy deliberations on all available options, including the Navali parallel reservoir and the option of de-silting, we have arrived at a consensus, which will be announced by the Union Jal Shakti Minister himself. The discussions we held on this issue will go down in history in the country’s irrigation and federal systems,” Shivakumar claimed.

The dam’s history

The idea of building a reservoir on the Tungabhadra was first set in motion back in 1860 by British Engineer Sir Arthur Cotton. Later, work began in 1949, and by the time it was completed, many eminent figures had witnessed it.