The Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchange between Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation Minister J.C. Madhuswamy and senior Congress member G. Parameshwara over the delay in land acquisition and payment of compensation to farmers for implementation of the Yettinahole water project, envisaged to provide 24 tmcft of potable water to the people of Kolar, Chickballapur, Tumakuru and other water-starved districts.
During the question hour in the Legislative Assembly, Dr. Parameshwara raised the issue of delay in the acquisition of 2,681 acres of land for constructing a balancing reservoir for storage of water pumped from the Yettinahole at Bairagondlu village in Koratagere constituency in Tumakuru district.
Seven villages would be submerged if the balancing reservoir was built at Bairagondlu and the government had fixed compensation of ₹9 lakh per acre here as against ₹28 lakh per acre at Doddaballapur for the same project.
Mr. Madhuswamy said the government cannot give ₹28 lakh per acre in Koratagere and held Dr. Parameshwara responsible for the delay in the acquisition of land for the project. Both leaders belong to Tumakuru district.
Irked over the Minister’s statement, Dr. Parameshwara said the government cannot discriminate in payment to farmers in the State for the same project and lashed out at the Minister for the delay in land acquisition.
The Congress member also took exception to altering the project and escalation of the cost from ₹12,900 crore in 2012 to ₹23,151 crore in 2021. With about ₹8,200 crore spent on the project, Dr. Parameshwara sought explanation for the steep hike in the project cost.
Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation Govind M. Karjol said 90% of the project work had been completed and only balancing reservoirs had to be built for storing water.
Intervening during the debate, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he would chair a meeting soon and resolve issues related to payment for land acquisition and compensation.
