<p>The Centre is likely to study afresh the demand for diverting the west-flowing Netravati river eastwards to address water problems in the parched regions of Karnataka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In a parliamentary consultative committee meeting of the Water Resources Ministry on Friday, Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat is learnt to have promised to study the project afresh at the earliest.<br /><br />Though the diversion requires environmental clearances, the ministry will send a team to study the project, Rawat reportedly said at the meeting.<br /><br />Reacting to a call for the early implementation of the project by Tumkur MP G S Basavaraj, who is also a member of the consultative committee, Rawat said despite opposition from environmentalists, the ministry “will not hesitate to study the project in public interest.”<br /><br />The minister also promised to arrange a meeting between Water Resources Ministry officials and retired chief engineer G S Paramashivaiah, who prepared a report on the diversion of the Netravati.<br /><br />Basavaraj told Deccan Herald that the minister also promised that elected representatives would be allowed to make a presentation to the study team. He said early implementation of the project could address water problems in Hassan, Tumkur, Chickballapur, Chitradurga, Kolar and Bangalore urban and rural districts.<br /> <br />Earlier, the National Water Development Agency, a body under the Ministry of Water Resources, had prepared a pre-feasibility report on the diversion of the Netravati river to the east and link it to the Hemavati river, which is in the Cauvery basin.<br /><br />The report said diversion of surplus water from the Netravati basin to the Cauvery basin would help irrigate 33,813 hectares under the Hemavati irrigation project in the drought-prone Tumkur, Hassan and Mandya districts of Karnataka. However, no provision had been made for drinking water.<br /><br />The Karnataka government, however, has not sent any proposal regarding the diversion of the Netravati river to the Centre, sources in the Water Resources Ministry said. <br />Tamil Nadu has also demanded early implementation of the project and sought share of the tapped water.</p>
<p>The Centre is likely to study afresh the demand for diverting the west-flowing Netravati river eastwards to address water problems in the parched regions of Karnataka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In a parliamentary consultative committee meeting of the Water Resources Ministry on Friday, Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat is learnt to have promised to study the project afresh at the earliest.<br /><br />Though the diversion requires environmental clearances, the ministry will send a team to study the project, Rawat reportedly said at the meeting.<br /><br />Reacting to a call for the early implementation of the project by Tumkur MP G S Basavaraj, who is also a member of the consultative committee, Rawat said despite opposition from environmentalists, the ministry “will not hesitate to study the project in public interest.”<br /><br />The minister also promised to arrange a meeting between Water Resources Ministry officials and retired chief engineer G S Paramashivaiah, who prepared a report on the diversion of the Netravati.<br /><br />Basavaraj told Deccan Herald that the minister also promised that elected representatives would be allowed to make a presentation to the study team. He said early implementation of the project could address water problems in Hassan, Tumkur, Chickballapur, Chitradurga, Kolar and Bangalore urban and rural districts.<br /> <br />Earlier, the National Water Development Agency, a body under the Ministry of Water Resources, had prepared a pre-feasibility report on the diversion of the Netravati river to the east and link it to the Hemavati river, which is in the Cauvery basin.<br /><br />The report said diversion of surplus water from the Netravati basin to the Cauvery basin would help irrigate 33,813 hectares under the Hemavati irrigation project in the drought-prone Tumkur, Hassan and Mandya districts of Karnataka. However, no provision had been made for drinking water.<br /><br />The Karnataka government, however, has not sent any proposal regarding the diversion of the Netravati river to the Centre, sources in the Water Resources Ministry said. <br />Tamil Nadu has also demanded early implementation of the project and sought share of the tapped water.</p>
