MoEF-REC team visits Yettinahole
HASSAN: A team comprising members of the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) and the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) conducted a spot inspection of the streams which are part of Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project on Monday at Sakleshpur in Hassan district.
The activists opposing the project are however unhappy with the team saying that the members seem to be in a hurry to give clearance to the project to begin work in forest land. The spot inspection of the REC and MoEF is important for giving forest clearance for the project to make way for the construction of weirs (dams) across streams flowing to the west and to divert water to districts like Tumakuru and Kolar.
Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited has started laying pipelines and constructing weirs.
The project is facing opposition from environmentalists and residents of Dakshina Kannada who fear the diversion of water would leave river Netravathy, the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada dry besides causing considerable damages to the environment.
The project needs about 13.9 hectares of forest land in Sakleshpur. Later, REC and MoEF officials held a meeting at the Chief Conservator of Forests office in Hassan where activist Somashekar brought to the notice of the team why forest clearance should not be given to the project.
A member of MoEF told DC that the project would help meet the drinking water needs of residents of Tumakuru, Kolar, and Chikkaballapur. Besides, it would help irrigate land. The member said, paddy prices have gone up and with added irrigation facilities, more land could be brought under cultivation to bring down the prices of foodgrains.
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