JOIN USVarthur 'evading' High Court notice on Yaragol plea
The district in-charge minister Varthur Prakash, who has been accusing the Union government of obstructing the Yaragol irrigation project, appears to be evading the notice issued by the High Court in a public interest litigation challenging the delay in executing the project.
The notice issued by the High Court on three occasions has returned unserved saying that the minister was not available at the Vidhana Soudha. Human Relevant Research Institution, District Bar Association, Kolar and Forum For Public Cause and Public Grievance filed a public interest litigation on June 7, 2011, seeking a direction to the government for implementing the project.
The chief secretary to government, principal secretaries to Housing and Urban Development Department, Irrigation Department, secretary to Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, managing director of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, deputy commissioner, Kolar, city municipality, Kolar, commissioner of Kolar Urban Development Authority, K H Muniyappa, the Lok Sabha member from the district and R Varthur Prakash, the district in-charge minister, have been arrayed as respondents in the petition.
According to the petition, the Yaragol project, which would supply water to Kolar, Malur, Bangarpet and 43 villages was launched on August 28, 2006. The Union government released Rs 79 crore for the project on March 19, 2007. The State government on August 22, 2007 granted financial and administrative approval for the Rs 160-crore project.
However, the project has not proceeded, except for laying pipelines, the petition says.
No permanent solution
The public representatives and the officers have been dithering to find a permanent solution to the drinking water problem by delaying the project.
The State government has failed to comply with Article 47 of the Constitution while the local bodies have a nexus with private water suppliers thus delaying the project. The expensive equipment purchased for the project had been rusting, the petitioners have said.
Union Minister K H Muniyappa has received the notice issued by the court, but is yet to file his reply. But district in-charge minister Varthur Prakash has not received the notice, said M Shivaprakash, the counsel for the petitioners.
The Division Bench comprising Justices Shylendra Kumar and Pinto, has expressed its displeasure over the minister not receiving the notice and has ordered to issue notices through all modes (post, courier, speed post and personal). The matter was heard on August 8, Shivaprakash said.