Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday ruled out either to review or stall the Rs 12,912 crore controversial Yettinahole drinking water project, envisaged to provide water to parched Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakur and other districts in the State.
Addressing a meeting of the elected representatives, environmentalists and experts from the coastal region comprising Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district, over the implementation of the Yettinahole drinking water project, convened by the Water Resources Department in Bengaluru on Monday, he said “The meeting has been convened to remove any misgivings, apprehensions or any other fear in the minds of the people who are opposing the project”.
Allaying fears over depletion of availability of water for drinking, agriculture and industrial use of the people of the two districts, he said that “all adequate measures would be taken to address the drinking water needs of the coastal region in the State”.
Few environmentalists and activists of two coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada are strongly opposing this project.,
He said Yettinahole project is purely a drinking water project and is not a diversion of either Nethravathi or Kumaradhara rivers flowing westward. Siddaramaiah said only a small portion of water would be drawn from Western ghats without compromising the eco-system in the region.
“The ground water level in the Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Tumakur region, is precariously depleting and over 68 lakh population in seven districts are facing acute drinking water problem” he said.
Water resources Minister MB Patil, also spoke at the meeting said Yettinahole drinking water project is being implemented vigorously and works are being taken up on war footing.
The Minister also said first phase of the Yettinahole project was being implemented without altering any of the stipulations mentioned in the tender specifications approved by the previous Government.
Clarifying on the question of expected yield of about 24 tmc of water from the streams in the Western ghats, he said that “The reputed institutions like Central Water Commission, The national institute of Hydrology have confirmed the availability of water for the project”.
Ramaprasad, a retired Professor from IISc, who also spoke on the occasion opined strongly that the eco-system in the region, will not be hurt in any manner by diverting 24 tmc of water from Yettinahole streams.
However the coastal districts BJP leaders have urged the Chief Minister to drop the project till the project gets environmental clearance. BJP leader and lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel, former minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, former MlA Vijayakumar Shetty, have appealed to the chief minister to suspend the execution of the Yettinahole project till the things relating to environment and other issues cleared.