'NGT verdict on Yettinahole relief to state'

Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam (VJNL), which is executing the Yettinahole project, on Friday stated that the NGT verdict had come as a relief to Karnataka and the project will be completed in the next three to four years.

The tribunal on Thursday gave its go-ahead to the Yettinahole project to meet the drinking water needs of the parched districts of Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru on Friday, K Jaiprakash, managing director,  VJNL said the project would replenish the groundwater table, leading to dilution of chemical contamination, which was a prevailing problem in the districts in the Palar and Pennar basins, especially Kolar and Chikkaballapur.

Pointing out that the project would be operational for only 135 days in a year (between June 15 and October 30), he said surplus water from the Western Ghats was being utilised for meeting the drinking water needs.

A 5.78 tmcft capacity balancing reservoir has been planned at Byragundlu in Koratagere in Tumakuru district , where seven villages will be submerged.

The entire project is being undertaken in two phases. An amount of Rs 2,282 crore has been spent under Phase 1.