Tillari command area reduced

PANAJI: The total land under the Goa-Maharashtra joint irrigation (command area) of Tillari irrigation project in Pernem has been further reduced by 107.057 ha, 79.057 ha for setting up a sports city and 28 ha for an industrial estate. This was stated by water resources minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues in a written reply to Mayem MLA Anand Shet.
The minister has also stated that as per the original project report, the water resources department (WRD) had proposed to bring under irrigation 5,596 ha in Bicholim and 5,007 ha in Pernem (total 10,603 ha in both talukas), but the present potential is projected at 2,599 ha in Bicholim and 3,501 ha in Pernem (total 6,100 ha), as on March 2009.
Rodrigues further informed Shet that the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), in a letter dated February 13, 2009, had sought the approval of Goa Tillari Irrigation Development Corporation (GTIDC), but in its board meeting the corporation had recommended against issuance of no objection certificate to the sports city project in land earmarked for irrigation at Dhargalim.
On the other hand, WRD requested the SAG, which was pursuing the project, to approach the cabinet if it needed an NOC. The diversion of the land under command area was approved by the cabinet at a meeting on March 17, 2009.
The GTIDC further debated the change of land use on the right bank main canal in a meeting on June 17, 2009 and decided to impose certain conditions.