Officers of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited have detected over 30 cases of miscreants damaging canals and siphoning off water for their crops in Vijayapura district.

The damage was found at the two ends of Malaghan West Canal under the Mulwad Irrigation Project in Babaleshwar taluk.

Officers closed the holes and initiated legal action against the accused.

Farmers earlier complained that water was reaching only around 100 km of the 118.60 km canal.

Investigation revealed that the canal was damaged by drilling holes in it in 30 places in Yakkundi, Hokkundi, Arjunagi and Hebbalati and surrounding villages of Babaleshwar taluk.

The accused had installed 4 inches to 6 inches wide pipes.

Investigation also revealed that some of the farmers who staged a protest for water at Arjunagi village drilled the holes.

On earlier occasions, when officials filled such siphons with cement concrete, it had not solved the problem. The miscreants had drilled holes repeatedly. That is why, they have initiated legal action, said a release from KBJNL Executive Engineer Rajendra Y. Rudagi.

Published - August 19, 2026 06:33 pm IST