Come out with solutions to problems of farmers, engineers told

Engineers must evaluate farmers' problems and devise solutions. Inaugurating a training program for Water Resources Dept. engineers, CADA Administrator M. Satishkumar stressed the need for WUCs to become more active and collect water levy. He urged engineers to be aware of RTI, KTPP, and Land Acquisition Act to help land losers. Training program will focus on soil fertility, inter-state water disputes, irrigation projects, and WUCs.

Administrator of Belagavi Command Area Development Authority (CADA) M. Satishkumar has stressed the need for engineers working under various government departments to evaluate the problems of farmers and come out with possible solutions.

Inaugurating a one-month training programme for newly recruited engineers of Water Resources Department organised by the Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) in Dharwad on Monday, he said that due to climate change and various other developments, farmers are facing various challenges and engineers should help in tackling them.

“Earlier, the Revenue Department was vested with the responsibility of collecting water levy for water released from canals to the farmland. But, after amendments to the Karnataka Irrigation Act and Karnataka Co-Operative Act, water users committees (WUC) have been formed in the command areas and it is their responsibility now to collecting the levy. The WUCs have to become more active and focus on effective collection of levy,” he said.

Mr. Satishkumar emphasised on the need for water user committees to make farmers the stakeholders and educate them on government schemes so as to make them responsible in paying their dues.

He said that during land acquisition, legal and technical hurdles are bound to crop up. Engineers should keep themselves abreast of the provisions of RTI, KTPP and Land Acquisition Act and sensitise land losers to government benefits and facilitate their rehabilitation, he added.

Presiding over the inaugural session, coordinator of the training programme B.Y. Bandivaddar said that the programme will focus on retaining the fertility of soil, inter-State water disputes, irrigation projects, management of canals, setting up of WUCs and related issues.