CM promises to solve water problems in drought-hit areas

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday told elected representatives of the drought-prone districts of Kolar, Tumkur, Chikkaballapur and Bangalore Rural that the State will implement the recommendations of the G S Paramashivaiah Committee report, to find a permanent solution to the drinking water problem of the region.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises K H Muniyappa, who is MP from Kolar, said the chief minister had assured them that work on the drinking water projects as recommended in the report would be taken up soon.

Muniyappa said the Centre will render all possible assistance to the State to make reality the Yetinahole project, which proposes to draw water from the Yetinahole River in Sakaleshpur taluk of Hassan district.

Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government was committed to find a permanent solution to the drinking water needs of Bayaluseme (plain lands). “Once the detailed project reports are ready, the government will take steps to implement them”, he said.

The meeting, held at the chief minister’s home office, was also witness to a heated argument between two Congress MLAs from Chikkaballapur district: V Muniyappa of Shiddlaghatta and Dr M C Sudhakar of Chintamani. Sudhakar had accused Muniyappa, a former mines and geology minister, of illegal mining.