Bengaluru, Oct 9 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah praised that Karnataka is carrying out the best work in Asia when it comes to filling up lakes, asserting that Civilisation has grown only due to water.

'Civilisation has grown and survived only because of water. The minister for Minor Irrigation is implementing programmes to spread awareness on water use, water conservation, and groundwater recharge. This is a healthy development,' said the Chief Minister while addressing the inauguration of the 'Neeriddare Naale' (If There is Water, There is Tomorrow) event, organised by the Minor Irrigation Department at the Banquet Hall.

Siddaramaiah appealed that people must be made aware of the necessity of water and the current water situation.

The Chief Minister also explained that in Karnataka, groundwater is being extracted through 37 lakh borewells, adding that there are lakhs of unregistered illegal borewells.

'Reports indicate that groundwater use here is 8 per cent higher than the national average. Except for 144 taluks, all other taluks are facing a shortage of water and groundwater. For this very reason, the KC Valley project was implemented to fill lakes in Kolar and Chikkaballapur, which has led to groundwater recharge. However, there are also people opposing this initiative,' he pointed out.

The Chief Minister added that in Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur, Tumakuru, and Bengaluru Rural districts, the government has spent thousands of crores to increase groundwater levels.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that for the Upper Krishna Project, Rs 2 lakh crore is required, and Rs 78,000 crore will have to be given to only farmers as compensation.

'The Chief Minister has called me in the morning and stated that in three to four years, we will have to give consent for the acquisition of farmers. When I took up the initiative for the Cauvery Aarti on the lines of the Ganga Aarti, it was opposed. When the Tungabhadra dam's one of the gates had broken. In a span of 8 days, it was rectified. Siddaramaiah is ready to ensure the safety of all reservoirs in the state,' he stated.

He pointed out that the state government is committed to the welfare of farmers, adding that the courts will have to come to the rescue of the state.

'Be it Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, I convey that we don't want your share of water. What is in our right, they should not create road roadblock for our state. They need to help. Students from across the country have come to Bengaluru to study. They have come from Mumbai, northern India and Tamil Nadu. We have not treated anyone as an outsider,' he said.

/IANS