Thanking the State Government for according administrative approval to the Yettinahole project, meant to benefit parts of Kolar, Chickballapur, Bangalore Rural, Ramanagaram and Tumkur districts, B. Shivaram, president of the Hassan District Congress Committee, appealed to the government to allocate at least 3 tmcft of water in the project to benefit the drought-hit areas of Arasikere, Belur and Hassan taluks.
Addressing a press conference in Hassan on Monday, Mr. Shivaram said that the much-awaited project was started during S.M. Krishna’s term in 2004, who had allocated Rs. 10 crore for a survey of the project.
However, due to lack of political will and commitment to provide water for backward districts among those ruled later, the Yettinahole project got delayed.
“Union Minister M. Veerappa Moily has played a major role in taking the project up to the current level. The State government has already floated tenders for the first phase of the work and the Centre has given forest clearance for the project,” he said.
The DCC president alleged that the JD(S) national president, H.D. Deve Gowda, and his family, who have a stronghold in Hassan, had never bothered to work towards getting benefits for the people of the region through the Yettinahole project.
Mr. Shivaram added that the JD(S) leaders had never made efforts to get irrigation projects for the district. “Whenever the Congress came to power, it has taken up projects to benefit Hassan. Now we have already submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to allocate at least 3 tmcft of water, to fill tanks and recharge groundwater table in drought-hit Arasikere, Belur and Hassan taluks. The Chief Minister has also replied in positive to the appeal and directed the officers to present a study report,” he said.
