Big projects, higher the hurdles

Delays in land acquisition, forest clearances thwart progress of 2 crucial irrigation projects

April 19, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:44 am IST - KALABURAGI:

The 1-km-long aqueduct of the Upper Bhadra Project under construction near the Jambhadahalla reservoir of Tarikere taluk in Chikkamagaluru district.— Photo: Arun Kulkarni

The 1-km-long aqueduct of the Upper Bhadra Project under construction near the Jambhadahalla reservoir of Tarikere taluk in Chikkamagaluru district.— Photo: Arun Kulkarni

Two of Karnataka’s ambitious projects — the Upper Bhadra Major Irrigation Project and the Yettinahole Drinking Water Project — are moving at a snail’s pace with inordinate delays in land acquisition and forest clearance.

Sources in Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (KNNL), which is implementing 104 projects worth over Rs. 57,000 crore in the State, told The Hindu that the proposal for acquisition of 1,613 acres of land was submitted to the authorities between 2010 and 2012. Only 598 acres of land have been acquired and handed over to the KNNL.

The remaining land sought, despite depositing Rs. 145.13 crore as demanded by the Revenue Department, has not been handed over to the KNNL.

There has been an escalation in cost by 30 per cent since the project was taken up in 2008. Forest clearance is awaited for 364.5 hectares, though the proposal was sent in 2009-10.

According to the KNNL officials, the proposals for acquiring 260 hectares for the lift component of the Yettinahole project were submitted in November 2014.

Not a single acre has been acquired owing to the controversy surrounding the amendment to the Land Acquisition Act.

The proposal seeking 12 hectares of forest land was also made in November 2014, but is yet to be cleared.

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