Ask the Major Irrigation Minister and officials: Rai

Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology B. Ramanath Rai, who is also district in-charge Minister, on Wednesday refused to give clear answers over questions relating to the Yettinahole diversion project.

“I have my limitations. I can only answer those related to my department. For the other questions you need to ask Chief Minister and Major Irrigation Minister,” Mr. Rai said.

Senior Congress leader and MP Oscar Fernandes joined Mr. Rai and said if there was any wrongdoing in the implementation of the project the same will be inquired by the party and government would be told to take action.

Mr. Rai and Mr. Fernandes were speaking to reporters at the Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama after holding a preliminary meeting of party men from different blocks and review preparations for the forthcoming zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections.

Mr. Rai and Mr. Fernandes claimed it was for the first time they were hearing accusation of misappropriation of funds in the execution of the project. They said that they were ignorant of the recent statement of senior Congress leader B. Janardhan Poojary seeking an Criminal Investigation Department inquiry into the allotment of Yettinahole work to Meghana Constructions, which was related to an IAS Officer who earlier worked with the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited.

“I cannot say anything on this (the statement of Mr. Poojary). Only officials (from Major Irrigation) and Chief Minister can comment,” Mr. Rai said and refused to clarify on activists questioning the government now spending Rs. 1,500 crore on the project without mandatory clearances. There was no question of stopping the project in light of lacunas pointed in the execution of the project, he added.

Mr. Rai contended that only 13.92 hectares of forest land that includes one hectare of reserve forest land was being used for the project. When pointed out at KNNL’s recent statement that underground pipelines would be laid for supplying water from the project sites and hence it would not disturb elephants in elephant corridors he said: “They (Major Irrigation officials) have to answer this.”