Udupi (The Hindu): It will give a fillip to irrigation, help agriculture and meet drinking water needs. Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, said on Monday that a proposal for the construction of 432 vented dams and salt water exclusion dams under the Rs. 537 crore Paschimavahini Project had been submitted to the government.

He was delivering the Independence Day message after unfurling the national flag at the Mahatma Gandhi Bayalu Ranga Mandira, here.

Mr. Madhwaraj said that the construction of these dams would give a fillip to irrigation, help agriculture and also meet the drinking water needs of large parts of the district.

Water treatment plant
An amount of Rs. 35 crore had been allotted to construct a water treatment plant and an overhead tank near Simbra taking into account the drinking water needs of the city for the next 30 years.

Land had already been identified for the construction of the plant.

An integrated sewage treatment plant would also be set up in the city at a cost of Rs. 50 crore to be provided the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation. The survey work and a detailed project report for the project had been completed.

The government had also provided Rs. 2 crore for the widening of the Kalsank bridge on the busy Udupi-Manipal Road for smooth movement of traffic.

A synthetic lawn tennis court would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 3.5 crore near the district indoor stadium here. An amount of Rs. 75 lakh had been released for its construction. The work on the second phase of the fisheries harbour at Koderi in Kundapur taluk had been taken up at a cost of Rs. 33 crore. The construction of a guide-wall had been taken up at the jetty at Shiroor at a cost of Rs. 9.89 crore.

The construction of the third phase of Malpe Fisheries estimated to cost Rs. 30 crore, was nearing completion.

As many as 15 Ambedkar Bhavans would be constructed in the district at a cost of Rs. 8.72 crore. An amount of Rs. 5 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of the town municipal council office at Kaup, while an equal amount had been provided for basic infrastructure in the same town, Mr. Madhwaraj said.

Meenakshi Bannanje, president of the Udupi City Municipal Council; B. Narasimhamurthy, chairman, Udupi Urban Development Authority; and Veronica Carnelio, chairperson, Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd., were present.