Mangaluru, Mar 18: The pro-common man budget of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, his fourth as CM, has raised hopes in green activists of Dakshina Kannada, who have been protesting against the Yettinahole water diversion project.
In 2014 the administrative approval accorded for the Detailed Project Report prepared for Yetthinahole project for an estimated cost of Rs 12,916 crore, inclusive of conveyance, had come as a shock to the coast.
However, this time CM has only mentioned about constituting a Coordination Committee for the early and effective implementation of the project. “A separate Corporation will be formed for Yettinahole and Upper Bhadra projects,” he said.
He said that an experts' committee will be constituted to study and report on the availability of water from other alternate sources along with Yettinahole project to provide permanent irrigation facility to drought prone areas of Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.
Reacting to this Nethravati Rakshana Samyuktha Samiti (NRSS) convener M G Hegde said that it was a clear indication that the chief minister has understood the non-viability of the project.
He also pointed out that there is no mention of funds sanction for Yettinahole project in the budget speech.
"The government is slowly realising a fact that Yettinahole project is not a viable one. They are also realizing that the project will not provide drinking water to people of Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts,” Mr Hegde said.
The fight against Yettinahole project will not be stopped until the government stops it, he added.
"Our fight will also be continued for the setting up of Nethravati Jala Samrakshana Pradhikara to protect the rights of people of Dakshina Kannada on river Nethravati," he added.
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