Yettinahole Project Nears Completion, Inauguration Date to Be Announced Soon

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar confirmed the success of the Yettinahole drinking water project's experimental operations and announced that its inauguration date would be revealed soon. The project, delayed due to electrical issues, promises to benefit 75.59 lakh people across seven districts.

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister, DK Shivakumar, confirmed on Wednesday that the experimental operation of the Yettinahole drinking water project had been successful and announced that the inauguration date for the project would be announced soon. Speaking after inspecting the project's experimental operation at Kesavanahalli in the Hassan district, Shivakumar described Yettinahole as an ambitious initiative. 'I flagged off the experimental operation today. The work is now complete, albeit with a delay of a few months,' he said.

He noted that five of the eight barrages were complete and that approximately 1,500 cusecs of water had been lifted in the experimental phase. 'This project will provide 24.01 TMC of drinking water to Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagar, Tumakuru, Hassan, and Chikkamagalur districts. A total of 75.59 lakh people in 38 towns and 6,657 villages in 29 taluks will benefit. Moreover, 527 tanks in seven districts will be filled with 9.953 TMC of water. Despite delays due to electrical glitches, we have reached the final stages of the Rs 23,251 crore project,' he added.

Shivakumar elaborated that 1,571 cusecs of water would be lifted from barrages 1, 2, 4, and 8 and supplied to barrage 3. Water from barrage 3 would be supplied to barrage 4 through gravitational force. He mentioned that the project spans 252.87 km, with 164 km already completed. Work on a 25.87-km canal segment is ongoing. 'The works after the 42nd km were affected by a forest land acquisition issue, so we plan to channel water to Vani Vilas Sagar through an escape canal,' he explained.

Addressing land acquisition issues related to forest lands, Shivakumar stated his intention to discuss these matters with the related department and the Chief Minister. 'By the end of July 2024, we will have completed works worth Rs 16,152 crores. We plan to finish the project by 2027. We are using German technology for Real Time Discharge Measurement to measure the exact quantity of water flowing through the barrages. Between June 1 and August 20, a total of 13.34 TMC of water flow was recorded,' he noted.

On issues of leakages along the route, Shivakumar assured that these would be resolved promptly. Responding to questions about allegations of unscientific excavations, he committed to addressing the concerns raised. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)