Ambitious plan for gargantuan green space in Vijayapura district, 6 times bigger than Lalbagh in Bengaluru

Karnataka Government is developing high-density forests near two tanks in Vijayapura.

The plan to fill the tanks in Vijayapura district to help augment drinking water supply to cities and villages has had the incidental benefit of increasing green cover as well. The Karnataka Government is now developing high-density forests near the Mamadapur and Bhutnal tanks. Going ahead, afforestation will be taken up around all tanks that are being filled up.

Water supply to Vijayapura city and surrounding villages was disrupted this year due to delayed rainfall. The city was getting drinking water just once or twice a fortnight. This led to the State Government deciding to fill tanks around Vijayapura city to ensure regular supply of water.

Water from the Krishna river was being pumped through a jack well near Lingadahalli. The water was pumped into tanks in Mamadapur, Bhutnal and Begum Talab. This helped augment the water storage of Vijayapura that has around 4 lakh residents.

However, near normal rainfall in July led to emergence of different ideas. Officials began afforestation around the tanks, in the hope that it would work as a watershed, harvesting rain water and holding back moisture, long after efforts of filling the tanks ended.

“High density planting is being taken up at the Mamadapur site. Once completed, it will be six times bigger than Lalbagh (in Bengaluru) in terms of area,’‘ a senior officer said.

This is not the first attempt at afforestation at Mamadapur and Bhutnal.