Daijiworld Media Network - Hassan (SP)

Hassan, Jun 23: The Yettinahole project is an ambitious project for the Karnataka government which plans to bring water from Yettinahole rivulet to districts in the plains like Bengaluru rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru and Kolar districts. The project was started when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister and the people in the plains have been waiting for water to arrive. While the government claims that they will get 24 tmc of water from the project, the Indian Institute of Science scientists had predicted that it might generate only 8 tmc of water. Nowhere else in the state such lift irrigation projects have succeeded. The project therefore, many say, is set to be doomed.

The project work undertaken in Sakleshlpur taluk of the district is not even 40 percent complete. The government says 85 percent work has been completed. Hassan district in-charge minister Gopalaiah, conducted scrutiny of the project site. He checked the water lifting machine and got details from officials. The minister said that water will start flowing by March 2021. Project pipeline of 152 km has been laid. Scientists have said that if it rains well, the project will get 24 tmc water.

But a look at the project reveals that even after ten years the project may not be completed. Although over Rs 3,000 crore has been spent so far, the project appears to be heading towards being the one that can be milked by successive governments to make money.

The facts which contribute to this gloomy prediction are that 1. No lift irrigation systems have succeeded in Karnataka. 2. Actual water generation is only 8 tmc. 3. The rivers and streams feeding the rivulet have been destroyed. 4. Even though three governments have changed, the project has not progressed. The government had promised to feed water four years back. 5. It is not possible to lift water by over 200 feet. 6. This requires 220 watt power. 7. Actually so much water can be bought instead of spending on the project.

The project was started with an estimate of Rs 13,000 crore. As per the revised S R value, the cost will go up steeply. The work has suffered on account of coronavirus pandemic and workers availability has suffered. Machinery fixing has been completed 95 percent. As much as 3.5 acres of additional land is yet to be acquired. Pipeline work is also expected to be completed soon.

Several district in-charge ministers have changed but the project has not yielded water so far. The project looks like a mirage. Whether the project will be completed and whether it will provide water to the thirsty districts to the extent projected is a guess no one is able to make as of now.