From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 20: With a view to ensure speedy implementation of the Rs 12,962 crore Yettinahole drinking water project, the State Government has decided to constitute a State-level Board on the lines of the three existing entities, including KBJNL, KNNL and CNNL.
Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil told a delegation of the Yettinahole Action Committee, which had spearheaded an agitation recently, for the early completion of the project.
While the Siddaramaiah ministry’s decision on implementing the Yettinahole project has been widely appreciated by the people of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Ramanagagara and Bangalore Rural districts, the project has received widespread protests and opposition from the people of the coastal region, especially Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, as project is aimed at diverting water from the Netravathi river.
Addressing the delegation of the Yettinahole Action committee in Bengaluru on Wednesday, the minister said that "Jurisdiction and the projects which can be attached to the proposed new Board would be decided shortly".
He also informed the delegation that efforts are also on to constitute another committee comprising experts, engineers and environmentalists to explore the other sources of water for the parched districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru and Ramanagara districts of the State.
"A committee comprising environmentalists and experts would be constituted shortly," the minister told the delegation led by Anjana Reddy.
Maintaining that the process of constituting the expert committee was under progress, he said the State Government would fulfil the promises made to the Yettinahole Action committee, at an interactive meeting chaired by the Chief minister Siddaramaiah, held recently.
Senior officials of the department of Water Resources including Rakesh Singh, Principal Secretary, B G Gurupadaswamy, Secretary, Anjum Parwez, Managing Director, KBJNL, R Rudraiah, MD, KNNL, T N Chikkarayappa, were also present on the occasion.
Earlier raising the issue, Anjana Reddy, reminded the minister about the decision taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister about the setting up of the Expert committee to explore other sources of water for the region and the coordination committee of the various other departments including Rural Development, Urban Development, BWSSB and others for the effective implementation of the Yettinahole project.
While appreciating the minister for taking an early initiative to establish an exclusive Board for the effective implementation of the Yettinahole project, Reddy also appealed the minister to restrict the jurisdiction of the proposed Board to Kolar, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapura and Bengaluru Rural districts.