From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jan 6: Even as the public in the coastal region are yet to be convinced that the Rs 12,900 crore Yettinahole project aimed at diverting the West-flowing Netravathy river water to meet the drinking water requirements of people in the Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru and other areas, Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil has urged the State’s irrigation officials to expedite the project.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru after chairing a review meeting of the performance of the state-owned Karnataka NeeravariNigama Ltd (KNNL) on Friday, he asked the officials to take the implementation of the project as a ‘challenge’ and prove that the Stare Government is very much committed to ensure drinking water to the people living in the most dried region in the State.

M B Patil

In response to an information that among the eight water harvesting structures of the Yettinahole project, six had been completed, the minister instructed the engineers to see that water will be impounded during next monsoon and drain it into dried up tanks along the sides of the main canal.

Stating that the main contention of those who are opposing the project was related to doubt on the extent of yield, the minister said: "By doing this we can prove that our estimation of over 24.4 tmcft of water yield in the Yettinahole project could be proved."

On the progress of works on the Upper Bhadra project, the minister asked the officials to hasten up the Ajjampur tunnel connecting the main canal of the Upper Bhadra project.

Patil urged the engineers to ensure that water could be drawn into main canal, and fill up the barren tanks in and around Chitradurga and other areas by December next.

The minister was also briefed on the progress of other projects, being executed by KNNL including Singatalur,Upper Tunga, Karanja, Tubachi Bableshwar, Markandeya, Varahi, Bennethora, Amarja, Upper and Lower Mullamari projects.

The minister had also urged the officials to utilize all the Rs 5348 crore of grants provided to the KNNL for the year and create assets for the state.

R Rudraiah, Managing Director, KNNL, Rakesh Singh, Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Gurupadaswamy, Secretary Water resources and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.