Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (RJP)
Puttur, May 10: ‘While the failure of Telugu Ganga project in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh is still fresh in the minds of people, the state government is moving ahead with its Yettinahole project plans to supply water to some places of the state where there is water scarcity. It is a waste of money where nobody will benefit. By diverting water from one side to another, they are depriving both the sides from the availability of water,’ says the research report by the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru.
‘Yettinahole region gets 3000 to 4500 millimetres of rain per annum. As per scientific calculation, 9.5 TMC water is available here. But irrigation department says that 24 TMC of water is available in the area which is totally against the fact,’ says part of the report.
‘The project will be a total failure due to existing water scarcity. The water cannot be supplied to the intended places as planned. At the same time Yettinahole area will also face water problem as the water is diverted from there. Hassan and Dakshina Kannada districts will be most affected. Yettinahole project is going against many environmental policies and acts of the land including the national water policy of 2012,’ the report says.
‘Out of 9.55 TMC of water available, 2.6 TMC goes into agricultural activities. And for the purpose of drinking water and animal needs an amount of 5.84 TMC is used. The balance of 5.84 TMC is not enough to keep the flow of water. What will the vegetation in the area will get?’ asks the report.
The report, prepared by the committee headed by Dr T V Ramachandra which has Vinay S and Bharat Ithal as members, was released at Urumi near Kadaba on the banks of Kumaradhara river on Saturday during the ‘Save Western Ghats Conference.’
Dr Vamanacharya the president of state pollution board, Zilla panchatat president Asha Thimmappa Gowda, Western ghats taskforce former president Anantha Hegde Ashisara, environmentalsit Prof Kumaraswamy B M, Retired professor, Dr H L Venkatesgh, Kumaradhara environment protection committee president N Karunakara Gogate were present during the presentation of the report.
The total outlay of the project is Rs 12,112 crore. The total area of the reservoir project is 110 square kilometres. 26 places in the state are estimated to benefit from the proposed project.