Following a Cabinet decision, the Water Resources Department has granted administrative approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Navali Balancing Reservoir.
Water Resource Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi said that silt accumulation has reduced the storage capacity of Tungabhadra dam by 31 TMC, and the balancing reservoir would help in optimising the use of water.
Jarkiholi said that the government has worked out a new strategy to address the storage problems of Tungabhadra reservoir caused by silt accumulation. While the total storage of the dam was 130 TMC of water, silt accumulation has reduced its capacity by 31 TMC of water. Balancing reservoir at Navali will ensure optimum utilisation of water. Directions have been issued to release Rs 14.30 crore towards preparation of the DPR. Desiltation of the TB dam has been pending for many years and the government has taken up this cause to help farmers, he added.