Plans to rejuvenate Karnataka's Arkavathy river on lines of river Thames

Bangalore: Karnataka government is planning to rejuvenate Arkavathy river on the lines of UK Government's similar action regarding River Thames flowing through Central London, Water Resources Minister M B Patil said on Saturday.

"We are planning to rejuvenate Arkavathy river as British Government had done to River Thames," he told reporters in Bangalore.

Arkavathy, a tributary of river Cauvery, is a large mountain river originating at Nandi Hills of Chikkaballapura district. The river is used by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board to provide drinking water to Bangalore.

Mr Patil said the Managing Director of Karnataka Irrigation Department Kapil Mohan recently visited London to study the feasibility of rejuvenating Arkavathy river.

Asked if the government would take international help for rejuvenation, Mr Patil said "if required we may hire best of international consultants and seek advice from IIT and other technical institutions."

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He said the government was making efforts to draw a working plan to bring approximately 9.25 lakh hectares of land across the state under irrigation at a cost of Rs 45,574.105 crore.

Replying to a query, Mr Patil said an additional land of about 35,000 acres is required for third phase of Upper Krishna (irrigation) Project.

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"We will give compensation to farmers to be shifted.  There is no question of financial viability. It is only a technical and legal matter," he said.