BENGALURU: Nelamangala, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, will soon get its drinking water from Yettinahole. The groundwater table will be improved by filling up lakes with the water. After water of the Vrishabhavathi river near Nayandahalli is purified, it will be released into the lakes of Nelamangala taluk, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said here on Thursday.
Shivakumar, who is also Water Resources minister, addressed a gathering after performing bhoomi puja (ground breaking ceremony) in Nelamangala for filling up 70 lakes in the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Tumakuru. It will be done by purifying 240MLD water under the Vrishabhavathi Lift Irrigation Project.
“Our resolve is to make the lives of farmers better. During our term in office, we will work on behalf of farmers, we will protect farmers, and not break our promises. We are not providing sewage water with Vrishabhavathi,” said Shivakumar, adding that this is a service for farmers from the government.
Shivakumar also used the platform to speak about the Mahadayi project, and stated that irrigation work in the state has been delayed due to issues related to forest land. “I met the Union environment minister on Wednesday and appealed to him about this. He said he will remove the obstacles to the Yettinahole and Mahadayi projects,” the DCM said.
Shivakumar added that water from the river Arkavathy, which joins Nelamangala, was purified and diverted to Kolar through the KC Valley Project. He also lauded his party MLA Srinivas, saying, “He is a person who is working for the Metro to come to Nelamangala, and is demanding underground drainage and increase in groundwater. The entire government is standing in his favour,” he said.