Yettinahole: Ravi demands clarity on technical feasibility report

'It was a ploy by  Veerappa Moily to raise funds ahead of 2013 LS polls'

Chikkamagaluru MLA C T Ravi on Wednesday demanded clarity on the technical feasibility report on the much debated Yettinahole drinking water project.

Reacting to media queries, Ravi, who is also the state BJP general secretary, came out with his own observations questioning the veracity of the project, which he said benefits none, if one goes by the ground reality.

“It was a ploy by Chikkaballapur MP and former chief minister M Veerappa Moily to raise funds ahead of parliamentary elections at the fag end of the year 2013,” he charged.

Quoting the report submitted by experts of Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in 2012, Ravi said, “According to the experts, water available was 9.55 tmcft against 24 tmcft of water required to supply water to Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.

“After this when Jagadish Shettar was the chief minister, he had even tried to defer the project though mooted by his predecessor D V Sadananda Gowda. But when the Congress government came to power in 2013, administrative approval was given for the project in haste with the total cost estimated at Rs 13,000 crore.”

Ravi sought to know whether any digital raingauges were installed to study the quantity of rain received in the particular area, besides preparing any detailed project report (DPR) on releasing the water to a particular lake towards facilitation of the project, followed by setting up 374 MW power station and also building of water storage reservoirs, to which Ravi said that permission has to be taken from Forest Department.

But when such basic infrastructural facilities are yet to be created, the current Congress-led government has been laying pipes already spending Rs 2,350 crore, he claimed.

He said it will be near impossible to supply water to Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts under the project.

Ravi, who reaffirmed his demand for a white paper from the government in this regard, also announced that he will raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly.

When the reporters brought to the notice of dissenting voices of BJP leaders with the party’s state president B S Yeddyurappa exuding confidence over implementing the project, Ravi maintained, “Yettinahole is a sentimental issue.”

He said his assertions on Yettinahole issue is not just his stand, but that of the party, as he also holds the charge of spokesperson.

The project can be implemented only if the additional water is available, without harming the local interests and also green cover, he said.