BENGALURU: The much-awaited Yettinahole project that aims to supply drinking water and fill lakes in seven districts in the state will be inaugurated on Friday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the project on the occasion of Gowri festival, said Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
The project will be a lifeline for Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagaar, Tumakuru and Hassan districts.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Shivakumar said all political parties have worked for the completion of the project. “I had taken up this project as a challenge in the last one year and completed the works on a war footing,” he said.
The project attracted several criticisms, and there were some disputes pertaining to forest land which were being sorted, he said. “Once the land is handed over to us, water will flow to the main canals. Currently, water is being lifted from seven barrages and temporarily released to Vani Vilas Sagar dam. We will invite leaders from all political parties, farmers and district in charge ministers for the inauguration event.”
In 1972, the GS Paramashivaiah committee submitted a report to the government on the Netravati river diversion project that involved diverting of rivers and streams from four Malnad districts to feed water to Tumakuru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur. Later, it was renamed Yettinahole water diversion project. The original plan was commissioned in 2012 to feed water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur. Later, more districts were added. The project many hiccups since its inception, including a petition filed before the National Green Tribunal in Chennai in 2014.