Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project, one of the flagship projects of Krishna Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (KNNL) designed to quench the thirst of nearly 7 million people in drought-prone Kolar, Chickballapur, Ramanagaram, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, and Hassan districts, is unique in many ways.
To meet the drinking water requirement of people in these districts, where the groundwater levels have hit the all-time low, the project proposes to lift 24.01 tmcft of water from Yettinahole, a west-flowing stream, near Sakleshpur in Hassan district and transport it through hardened steel pipeline and open canal running to distance of 274 km.
The State government has overcome all hurdles by allaying fears of environmentalists and people in the coastal areas and taken up work on the project. Fabrication of the pipeline required for the project is in the advanced stage of completion.
According to Managing Director of the KNNL R. Rudraiah, fabrication of the pipeline required for 70 km, of the total length of 130 km, has been completed.
The government proposes to spend Rs. 12,931 crore on the project which is expected to provide a permanent solution to drinking water shortage in the six districts.
Besides this, 527 tanks will be filled using 8.96 tmcft of water in these district so as to help recharge groundwater. In Kolar, Tumakuru, Chickballapur, and Bengaluru Rural, groundwater levels have dipped alarmingly to 1,000 to 1,400 feet. And, groundwater sources here is contaminated by fluoride, nitrate, and harmful salts.
Before initiating the project, the government had come to a conclusion that the west-flowing rivers were the only viable and sustainable source so as to minimise the impact on the environment. Water would be tapped from the west-flowing rivers for the project only during the rainy season — June to November.
