A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting convened by Irrigation Minister K N Nage Gowda, in which ministers, MPs, legislators and representatives of farmers from Chikamagalur, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Kolar districts took part. The state Cabinet is likely to approve the decision at its next meeting.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, Nage Gowda said the Tunga diversion project would protect the kharif semi-dry crop in 2.24 lakh acres spread over some parts of Chikamagalur and Chitradurga districts. The project is being conceived under Scheme A of the World Bank-assisted Upper Krishna Project, he added.

Other parts of Chikamagalur and Chitradurga and areas of Tumkur, Kolar and Bellary districts will becovered under Scheme B of the Bachawat Award. A study team will be meeting on Monday to identify the areas in Tumkur, Kolar and Bellary district to be covered under the project, Gowda said.

The Karnataka Government will seek financial aid from the World Bank and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and also float bonds to raise funds required for the project.

He said a master plan would be prepared in a few days after consulting irrigation experts on ways to utilise the 103 TMC water due to Karnataka under Scheme B of the Bachwat Award. Though Scheme B is to be taken up after 2000 AD, there is nothing wrong in preparing the plan now itself as neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has already started implementing it, he said.

Gowda also said that diversion of the west-flowing rivers Netravati and Kumaradhara was not possible. He said if Netravati was diverted, there was a possibility of submersion of major coffee growing areas in Chikamagalur and the entire Sakaleshpur taluk in Hassandistrict.