Netravati–Hemavati river link may be dropped as no surplus water remains

New Delhi: Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on Thursday said that the linking of Netravati-Hemavati may be dropped as there is no surplus water available in Netravati basin after implementation of the Yattinahole project.

Though the pre-feasibility report on linking of Netravati-Hemavati was completed in 1994, no further studies have been taken up since. After implementation of Yettinahole project in 2014 as no surplus water was available in Netravati basin for diversion through this link, the Minister said in Rajya Sabha.

As per earlier plan, Netravati basin has surplus water having potential to irrigate 34,000 hectare in a year and it can be diverted to Hemavati basin.

On the Bedti-Varda link, the Minister said that a per-feasibility report of alternate link has been submitted to the state government in August 2025. Recently, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said that the state government gave in-principle approval of the project in the interest of providing water supply to parched areas of Haveri district and nearby areas.

On linking Krishna (Alamatti) Pennar, the Minister said that a detailed project report was completed in September 2025.