From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 19: Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil has informed the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, has asked the State government and the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd to clarify their stand on the appropriateness of the Rs 12,912 crore Yettinahole project.

The project, which would come up in the Western Ghat region, envisages drinking water to drought-prone districts of Kolar, Tumakuru and Chikkaballapur districts.

Making a statement in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Water Resource Minister M B Patil informed the House that the work at the project has been suspended till December 7.

A sum of Rs 1598.74 crore had been spent on the project till October 2015. The minister said the works have been taken up in five packages.

After hearing the case on interim application, the State counsel for the project, after consultation with the senior officials of KNNL, given the undertaking that the government would not to execute work on the project till further orders.

The next hearing has been posted for December 7, 2015.

In order to avoid a stay from the Tribunal, Patil said the State Government had agreed to stop work till next hearing.

The project has obtained envrioment clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF).