Manipal: Stating that there is a vast potential to tap the water from west-flowing rivers in the coastal districts, District Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said he will put the ‘Paschimavahini’ project first in the priority list during a meeting with the Chief Minister on Monday and Tuesday.

“A series of vented dams will be constructed and thereby the water from west-flowing rivers can be used for drinking water purposes. During the meeting of CM Siddaramaiah with the Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat CEOs in the presence of the ministers on Monday and Tuesday, this topic will be brought to the fore,” Madhwaraj added.

He said after taking charge as a minister, he held a meeting with district-level officials on Saturday. “I have sought their cooperation and asked them to work more, to be more productive, and to give no scope for corruption,” he said. “I have asked the officials to take the MLAs of the other constituencies in the district into confidence while discharging their duties,” he added.

He said the state government aims to take up the second phase of the Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environmental Management Project (KUDCEMP) in Kundapur, Udupi, Mangaluru and Puttur. The drinking water and underground drainage projects which were incomplete in the first phase, will be resumed in the second phase. This project is being implemented with a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Regarding the problem of sea erosion, the minister said the DC has plans to seek Rs 5 crore from the state government to take steps to prevent sea erosion.

DC R Vishal, Zilla Panchayat CEO Priyanka Mary Francis and SP Annamalai were present.