Karnataka: Indian Institute of Science report confirms greens' concerns

Mangaluru: Greens opposing the Yettinahole project claim their concerns have been vindicated by a new feasibility report by experts of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), which has suggested drawing water to Bengaluru from west flowing rivers by building a coastal reservoir and pumping water to the city from it.

“The plan submitted by IISc. experts on Monday to Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George proves what we have been saying all along. It indirectly agrees that there is not enough water in the Yettinahole river by suggesting that a coastal reservoir should be set up. It also reveals that the government’s focus is on providing water to Bengaluru as Kolar and Chikkaballapur are not getting any water as feared,” said Netravathi Samrakshana Samyuktha Samithi advisor, M G Hegde, adding, “Such irrigation projects are just money making ventures for political parties. We were never consulted on the Yettinahole project and now when a fresh project to divert west flowing rivers has been submitted, we are still ignored.”

Not surprised by the IISc. report, NECF state secretary, Shashidhar Shetty claims he has known all along that the plan was to provide water to Bengaluru from Yettinahole. “The BBMP website clearly mentiones that the city will get 11 tmc of water from the project,” he observed.

Environmentalists opposing the project have always maintained that diverting the Yettinahole river was only the beginning of a bigger river diversion project and other west flowing rivers too would be diverted in due course. They also suspected that although the government claimed the project was intended for the people of Kolar and Chikkaballpur, in reality it would give priority to providing water to Bengaluru .