Desilt 527 tanks that come under Yettinahole project: CM

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today directed officials to take up desilting of 527 tanks in five districts that come under the purview of the Yettinahole Project, to increase its storagecapacity.

He gave these directions to officials at a meeting convened to discuss the progress ofthe Yettinahole drinking water project,the Chief Minister'soffice said in a statement.

Stating that three land acquisition officers' postshave been sanctioned for the project, Kumaraswamyinstructed that they be appointed immediately.

He also directed the officers to work out themodalities of acquiring 5,000 acres of land in 21 villages andfor distributing compensation.

The Yettinahole Project has been envisaged to draw excess water being drained by west flowing rivers intothe Arabian Sea.

Noting that the excess water of Yettinahole river andits five tributaries would be lifted and then channelised through the gravitational pull and pumping method, officials said the districts of Hassan, Tumkur, Chikkaballapur, Kolar and Bengaluru Rural would stand to benefit by the project.

The project envisages providing drinking water tothese districts and also aims at rejuvenating depletedgroundwater levels there, they said, adding thattanks lying under these districts would be filled by thechannelized water.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, WaterResources Minister D K Shivakumar said a "newthinking" is underway on landacquisition, whether it was the Yettinahole project,Upper Krishna Project or any other major irrigation project.

His ministry had sought suggestionsfrom the public and experts on land acquisition, he said, adding some farmers had suggested a model where theywould continue to hold the land rights when it is not submerged.

"There are suggestions.... in some places land will come under submerged area for about three or four months(rainy season). In the remaining nine months, we(farmers) will use the land, continuing our rights over it.

He said discussions have been held on how it can be done by giving farmers compensation (for the submerged period).

The minister said government would find a solution to delays in land acquisition process after discussions and seeking opinions of stakeholders