Controversy brews over power billing for govt irrigation project involving Mutt

Tumakuru: In a dramatic turn of events, the government has officially rescinded the notice issued by the Karna-taka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) mandating Siddaganga Mutt to pay an exorbitant electricity bill of Rs 70 lakh linked to a government irrigation project. This decision follows wide-spread criticism of the KIADB’s demand, which many deemed unjust and inappropriate for a reli-gious institution that has long been a pillar of support for the community.

The issue gained significant media attention after ‘Public TV’ aired an in-depth report detailing the notice against Siddaganga Mutt, prompting public outcry and questions regarding the government’s rationale. Siddaganga Mutt, revered for its educational and charitable endeavours, had been asked to cover the cost of electricity incurred from using water sourced from a KIADB-managed lake.

Earlier, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has delivered a jolt to Siddaganga Mutt, a prominent religious institution in the Tumkur district. The KIADB has raised a demand for Siddaganga Mutt to pay a staggering Rs 70,31,438 towards electricity bills incurred for a government irrigation project, citing precarious financial conditions within the board itself.

The controversial letter, which has sparked significant backlash, was issued to the Mutt by the KIADB outlining that the cost is associated with the experimental pumping of water from Honnenahalli Lake to the Devarayapattana Lake, located in close proximity to Siddaganga Mutt. The intention behind this initiative, once fully operational, is to provide water supply not only to Siddaganga Mutt but also to several nearby villages, including Devarayapattana, Madanayakana Palya, and Kundur. However, as of now, the project remains incomplete, with only test runs having been conducted thus far, and no distribution of the water to the villages has taken place.

The KIADB’s request for Siddaganga Mutt to cover the electricity costs incurred between October 31, 2023, and March 2, 2024, has ignited a considerable debate. In essence, the board is attempting to transfer the financial responsibility for utilities related to this public project onto the Mutt, raising questions about the propriety of such a demand.

Siddaganga Mutt, which has been actively involved in various social and educational initiatives, has responded to the KIADB’s directive. They sent a letter back to the KIADB on April 15 this year arguing that as this is a government project aimed at benefiting local communities, it is both unreasonable and unjust to expect the Mutt to shoulder the electricity expenses. The Mutt maintains that they should not be held liable for expenses related to a project that is ultimately under governmental ju-risdiction.

Despite the Mutt’s attempts to engage in dialogue, including a letter sent eight months ago address-ing the issue, officials from KIADB have reportedly remained non-responsive. Instead, it has come to light that there have been further verbal communications urging the Mutt’s management to pay the bill, which Siddalinga Swamiji, the President of Siddaganga Mutt, has publicly condemned. He ex-pressed astonishment over the situation, emphasizing that while it is natural to impose a water tax for services rendered, the demand for electrical charge payment appears incongruous given the sta-tus of the government project.

On the operational front, the pipeline work from Honnenahalli to Devarayapattana Lake has been completed by KIADB, with claims that water has been adequately supplied for the needs of Sidda-ganga Mutt. Yet, the intricacies of this situation include a blend of financial, administrative, and ethi-cal considerations that point to a serious misalignment between government directives and the ex-pectations placed on local institutions.