Mangaluru: Minister for Minor Irrigation NS Boseraju stated that Karnataka has approximately 27 lakh registered borewells, with nearly 13,000 borewells drilled over the past two years specifically for the benefit of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.
Minister addresses public grievances
Boseraju was speaking after visiting the Belthangady block Congress office at Santekatte on Tuesday, where he listened to the grievances of the public. He emphasized that the state government is implementing several initiatives focused on groundwater recharge and sustainable water management, and stressed that protecting groundwater resources should be a shared responsibility.
Demand for infrastructure projects
There has been a growing demand in the taluk for vented dams and retaining walls. The minister assured that the government will make sincere efforts to take up such projects. Under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, works such as lake rejuvenation and construction of vented dams are being undertaken across Karnataka to strengthen groundwater resources. Special priority is being given to vented dam projects in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Karwar regions to support the farming community.
Concerns over electoral roll revision
Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Boseraju alleged that the BJP had politically benefited from a similar process in West Bengal and claimed that nearly 95 lakh voters had been excluded there. He urged Congress leaders and workers in Karnataka to closely monitor the SIR process to ensure that no genuine voters are removed unnecessarily from the rolls.
Appeals for flood prevention
KPCC general secretary Rakshit Shivaram noted that despite heavy rainfall in the region, Belthangady faces water scarcity during summer, making vented dams essential for groundwater recharge. He also appealed to the minister to sanction funds for retaining walls near temples, mosques, and riverbanks to prevent flooding.
During his visit, Boseraju offered prayers at Dharmasthala and Southadka Mahaganapathi temple. He also inspected the completed vented dam and bridge project at Maipala in Kokkada.
