Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said that the pending works of the Yettinahole project will be commenced within a week. He also announced that 5,300 acres of land will be allotted to the Forest Department as part of requirements for the Mekedatu project.
Addressing reporters after a meeting held at Vidhana Soudha on the Yettinahole, Mekedatu and Bhadra Upper Canal projects, he said that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has directed the state government to pay Rs 257 crore towards penalty and mitigation measures linked to the project. “I have instructed officials to make the payment today itself. Once the payment is made, contractors have been directed to begin the Yettinahole work within this week,” he said.
Shivakumar added that steps would be taken to conduct a detailed survey for land acquisition in the Tumakuru region as part of the project implementation process. “Efforts will be made to supply water to Chikkaballapur and Kolar at the earliest. The Environment Ministry had earlier returned the Yettinahole project file with certain conditions. We have accepted those conditions and are proceeding accordingly,” he said.
He further said that land transfer from the Revenue Department to the Forest Department is under way as part of the project requirements and statutory clearances. “About 10 per cent of the land transfer process is still pending, and the remaining work will be completed within a week,” he noted.
Shivakumar said that a meeting was held with concerned legislators and officials regarding the Yettinahole, Bhadra Upper Canal and Mekedatu projects, in which the Revenue, Forest and Home Ministers also participated. “I have met the concerned Union Minister regarding the Yettinahole project. We have agreed to the conditions laid down by the Centre and are moving forward with the implementation,” he said.
On the Mekedatu project, he said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has already been prepared and will be submitted before the competent committee for further consideration and approvals. “We have revised the project cost once again. Around 5,300 acres of land will have to be given to the Forest Department, and discussions will be held with the Revenue Department in this regard,” he added.
Responding to a question on Bengaluru city, he said that instructions have already been issued to remove weak trees and branches and to clear obstructions in water flow in view of recent weather conditions. “I will conduct a city round at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Puja will also be performed for the inauguration of a couple of flyovers,” he said.
It may be noted that the Yettinahole project is a major drinking water initiative by the Karnataka government aimed at diverting water from the Yettinahole stream, a tributary of the Netravathi River in the Western Ghats, to the drought-prone districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru and parts of Bengaluru Rural district.
The project is designed to provide a sustainable source of drinking water to arid regions in the eastern part of the state. It involves lifting and transferring water through a network of canals and pipelines, and has faced delays due to environmental clearances, land acquisition issues, and financial constraints over the years.
The Mekedatu project is a proposed balancing reservoir and drinking water project across the Cauvery River near Mekedatu in Ramanagara district. The project aims to store and regulate water to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas, while also generating hydroelectric power as part of its design.
It has been a subject of inter-state dispute, particularly with Tamil Nadu, over concerns related to water sharing and downstream impact. The project requires environmental approvals and land allocation, including forest land, and has been under discussion at various administrative and judicial levels.
The Bhadra Upper Canal (often referred to as the Bhadra Upper Project) is an irrigation and water supply scheme in Karnataka designed to utilise water from the Bhadra reservoir to benefit drought-prone regions, particularly in central and eastern parts of the state. The project aims to provide irrigation facilities to agricultural lands and also support drinking water needs in districts such as Chitradurga, Davanagere, Tumakuru and parts of Ballari district.
(IANS)
