Bengaluru: Unable to resolve the issues related to ambitious Rs. 12,912 crore Yettinahole project, the state government has decided to seek suggestions from the party high command.
The main confusion faced by the government is to acquire or not to acquire the land, after present NDA government proposed amendments to the UPA government’s Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
According to Congress leader and former union minister Jairam Ramesh, the Modi government has dropped the SIA clause. SIA prevents acquisition of excess land and irrigational land and helps in identifying families for compensation.
As per the 2013 Act, the drinking water project was exempted from obtaining environment clearance, but SIA was a must. But the NDA government at the Centre has brought in an ordinance that exempts certain infrastructural projects from taking up SIA.
The Siddaramaiah government, which wanted to acquire lands for the Yettinahole project, was keen on dropping SIA. The Congress government, which seems to be wary of taking a firm decision on the crucial project as the party’s national leaders are opposing the amendments both inside and outside Parliament, deferred its decision.
The Cabinet meeting held on Thursday discussed the issue in detail but finally only deferred it as there is some confusion about land acquisition. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra, after the meeting, told that the decision on the course of action will be taken after party high command’s advise.
The State has not yet conducted a SIA to acquire land for the project, as mandated under the 2013 law.
Meanwhile Karnataka Pollution Control Board Chairman Vaman Acharya has said proposed Yettinahole Project envisaged to meet drinking water needs of parched districts is unscientific. The project prepared by the government is not correct.
Speaking at a western ghats awareness camp recently, he said in the name of Yettinahole Project to supply water to parched districts of Kolar and Chikkaballapura, government is planning to divert river Netravathi. If water bodies in the parched districts are rejuvenated, water woes can be solved.
