From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 11: In what is perhaps an attempt to mollify the people of coastal Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts angry at the State Government for vigorously pursuing the Yettinahole project for diverting the Netravati river to water starving Tumakuru, Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts, the Siddaramaiah government is now taking up the Rs 1394 crore Paschima Vahini project under which a series of vented dams or check dams will be built to augment water during summer in three coastal districts.
The State Cabinet which met in Bengaluru on Monday has sanctioned Rs 200 crore for the project in the current year of 2017-18 even though the entire estimated cost is Rs 1394 crore.
The much hyped project would benefit 19 assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kananda, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts.
It may be mentioned that the project has been under discussion for a decade along with another idea of linking the rivers in the coastal belt.
With the State Government incurring the wrath of green activists for going ahead with the Netravati river diversion or Yettinahole project, today’s decision is being seen as an effort to silence the opposition to the project.
Though the coastal districts are getting heavy rainfall, the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada are facing quite an unprecedented water crisis during summer, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
As tier-two and tier-three cities and towns are facing severe water crisis during summer, the State Cabinet on Monday cleared ‘urban waste water policy’ for recycling sewerage water in district headquarters and towns.
Under the policy, action plans would be prepared in each district for recycling sewerage water and this would result mitigating water shortage in towns and cities, The Bengaluru City has implemented the recycling waste water of the Koramangala-Challaghatta valley by establishing sewage recycling plants for tackling water problem of Kolar district on a pilot model.
It was decided to bring out a new policy for identification of Special Agriculture Production Zones for the benefit of the farmers.
Under the policy, suitable zones would be identified for various crops and fruits, the minister said.