Work on Yettinahole project progressing without hindrance

January 12, 2017

Bengaluru, Jan 12: Despite the state government facing stiff opposition from various quarters to execute the multi-crore Yettinahole project, the work has not stopped on ground zero. Also, the government has no intention of stalling the work.

Yettinahole
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had convened a meeting on December 27, 2016 to discuss the Yettinahole project, which aims at bringing water from Sakaleshpur in Hassan district to various districts such as Kolar, Chikkaballapur and parts of Benglauru Rural.

At the meeting, elected representatives from the BJP?and activists from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts had strongly opposed diversion of the Netravati river water. On last Wednesday, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and RSS leaders had announced that the diversion of water from the Yettinahole, which feeds water to the Netravati river, would not be allowed.

Officers who are monitoring the Yettinahole civil work on a daily basis in the villages of Sakaleshpur taluk on Wednesday told DH that there is no instruction from the government or court to stop the work. Except felling of trees in the forest areas, the rest of the scheduled works are on.

Four officials from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) visited the Yettinahole project sites on January 4 and 5. The officials visited the project site on the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as certain individuals and an NGO have moved the Supreme Court against the project. The objections raised include large-scale tree felling and illegalities in the execution of the work. The MoEF is scheduled to submit its report to the NGT on January 16.

The state government officials have claimed that the construction of weirs (low dams) that form the lift component of Stage I has been going on. About 60% of the work has been completed by constructing six of the eight weirs.

As the project is mainly for providing drinking water, there is no need to obtain environment clearance for the project. The MoEF has cleared the project and power supply has been sanctioned by the KPTCL. The government has opted for both, direct purchase of land from farmers and parting with its own land for the project. The total land required for Phase I is about 257 hectares. The forest land required is 13.93 hectares, the government land 33 hectares and the remaining is private land. For Phase II, 4,913.13 hectares would be required.

The total cost of the project, as estimated in 2012-13, was Rs 12,913 crore. So far the government has sanctioned Rs 1,800 crore. The project aims at lifting and distributing 24 tmcft of water and of these, 15 tmcft would be for drinking purpose.

Sources said permission has been taken for chopping 11,000 trees. Of these, 6,000 are in the forests. So far, nearly 2,500 trees have been axed in the forests. For now, clearing of trees has been stopped in view of the NGT hearing. But, the work on the lift irrigation component is on.

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News Network
April 20,2024

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New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is being pushed towards a “slow death” inside Tihar jail by denying him insulin and consultations with his doctor.

Kejriwal, who has Type-2 diabetes, has been asking for insulin and a video conferencing with his family doctor but his requests are being denied by the jail administration, party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a press conference.

"I want to say with full responsibility that a conspiracy is underway for the slow death of Kejriwal," Bharadwaj claimed citing blood sugar readings of the Chief Minister in jail.

He also slammed the Tihar administration, BJP, Centre and Delhi LG for allegedly denying insulin to Kejriwal and said the Delhi Chief Minister had been suffering from diabetes for the last 20-22 years.

On Friday, the chief minister council Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi said Kejriwal has not been administered insulin to control his sugar levels since his arrest, terming it “shocking” and “alarming”.

The ED had on Thursday claimed before the court that Kejriwal was eating food high in sugar like mangoes and sweets every day, despite having Type-2 diabetes, to create grounds for medical bail.

Kejriwal, however, refuted the ED’s claims by asserting before a court that the food he consumed was in conformity with the diet chart prepared by his doctor.

“Out of 48 meals sent from home, only three times mangoes were there…,” Singhvi told the court.

Bharadwaj said Kejriwal was allowed by the court to use a machine in the jail to monitor his daily blood sugar levels.

"Overall, it was a conspiracy to finish Kejriwal so his multiple organ damage and when he comes out of jail after 2-4 months he goes for treatment of kidney, heart and other organs," said Bharadwaj, who holds the portfolio of health in Delhi government.

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News Network
April 25,2024

Bengaluru, Apr 25: Former union minister C M Ibrahim, who was expelled from Janata Dal (Secular) for protesting against party’s alliance with BJP, has stressed on need for a third front not just at the national level, but also in Karnataka. 

Addressing a news conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday, he said he’s planning to form a third front in Karnataka along with Lingayat Seer Dingaleshwar Swami.

Ibrahim said that he will tour the state between April 27 and May 4 and that he would meet Dingaleshwar Swami on April 29. “There is a need for the third front in this country. We will try to establish a third front in association with the seer and we hope we will be successful in those efforts,” he said.

Expressing disappointment with the Congress for not doing enough to gain the full confidence of Muslims, Ibrahim said that Congress is concentrating only on certain communities for votes, and ignoring Muslims. 

“The Congress is not even caring for Muslims and Dalit votes. In some Muslim areas they did not even hold campaigns seeking votes and trying to convince the communities which never vote in their favour. I fear this may lead to low turnout and Congress may lose its vote base,” he opined.

Mentioning about guarantees on which Congress is strongly relying during this election, Ibrahim said, such things won’t work all the time. “Guarantees will not work anymore. Every election you need to give something new to the voters,” he added.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that Congress is trying to appease minorities for votes, Ibrahim requested both Congress and BJP parties not bring Muslims between them. “I request both parties. Leave us alone. Don’t make us sandwiches for your political sake. We are living with peace and hope even the Prime Minister will understand this,” Ibrahim added.

Launching a broadside against Prime Minister Deve Gowda, Ibrahim said, “Deve Gowda has sold his personality itself. Whatever I have told about JD(S) has come true. I pity, a former Prime Minister should not have come to this stage,” he said. 

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News Network
April 24,2024

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With the Karnataka transport department extending the deadline for the installation of High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) twice--- in November last year and February, it is no longer planning to extend the same. The department ordered for the installation of HSRP before May 31.

The transport department through a notification in August last year, had mandated the installation on all the vehicles that were registered in the state prior to April 1, 2019. According to transport officials, there are nearly two crore vehicles that are supposed to get HSRP for their vehicles.

“As of now, the state has registered only 34 lakh HSRP installations, despite extending the deadline twice. From nearly 18 lakh installations since February, the numbers have almost doubled. However, there are still a large number of vehicles that have to opt for HSRP,” said C Mallikarjuna, Additional Commissioner for Transport (Enforcement).

“We will wait till May 31 to check for the total number of vehicles that fall in line. We are expecting HSRP installations to touch 75 lakh, after which we will consider an extension as the numbers indicate that people are falling in line and if some more time is given everyone will get it done. However, if we do not reach that number before the deadline, we will request the government not to extend the deadline but urge for an enforcement,” he said.

He also stated that a fine of Rs 500 will be imposed for the first time and if vehicle owners do not fall in line, it will be Rs 1,000 later until they have installed HSRP. “We will wait till the Model Code of Conduct ends and take the government’s opinion. We are going to request the government for strict enforcement if the HSRP installations are not satisfactory,” he added.

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