Yettinahole gets priority, to supply drinking water to dry districts in Karnataka
BENGALURU: Responding to concerns raised by BJP leaders over worsening water scarcity in east Karnataka districts, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the state government is prioritising the implementation of Yettinahole Drinking Water Project to address long-standing drinking water shortage in several districts. He said he was working to set up a centre for water excellence in collaboration with the IT-BT department to ensure that potability of water is addressed.
The issue was raised by MLCs KS Naveen, Govindaraju and Ravi Kumar, who highlighted water shortage in Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, besides the districts of Chitradurga, Ballari, Yadgir and Kalaburagi. They urged the government to expedite long-pending water supply projects.
Addressing their concerns, Kharge said the Yettinahole project, estimated to cost around Rs 23,000 crore, is designed to provide drinking water to several water-stressed regions of the state.
The minister said the project will supply about 24tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of drinking water to Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Tumakuru districts, and other areas. Of this, around 8tmcft will be distributed exclusively to 21 rural taluks, he said. Kharge said the government is ensuring the quality of water supplied through the project.
“The water will undergo regular laboratory testing for chemical and biological pollutants,” he said, adding that continuous monitoring systems will be put in place. The minister said the government aims to begin supplying water to Tumakuru by June 2026, subject to obtaining necessary forest clearances, and the project rollout will be completed by October 2027.
Kharge said multiple departments, revenue, irrigation, minor irrigation and RDPR -- are coordinating to speed up implementation. He said the government is planning the location of water treatment plants, reservoirs and pipeline networks to ensure drinking water eventually reaches individual households. Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the delay was because the forest department had claimed some revenue land belongs to them. He said they had set up a steering committee to address issues of municipal and urban development.