Cabinet nod for Yettinahole II phase too; government to stand surety for KBJNL
In one of the largest irrigation proposals approved in recent times, the State Cabinet on Tuesday approved upgrading and modernisation projects worth Rs 333.77 crore along the entire Cauvery basin.
Among the projects approved are upgrading of Mirza canal, Nugu dam canals, Honnur left bank canal which runs along the Kabini reservoir, diverting water from Kabini reservoir under the Chikkanadi scheme for 23 lakes in Mysore, H D Kote and Nanjangud taluks, Taraka right bank canal and upgrading the Ramaswami dam and canals.
Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters that the Cabinet approved the projects after seeking the opinion of eminent lawyer Fali Nariman who represents Karnataka in the Cauvery water sharing dispute. It also approved the proposal to give government surety for Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama Limited (KBJNL) to raise Rs 100 crore from the market.
Besides, the Cabinet okayed the second phase of the Yettinahole project. Accordingly, it approved Rs 12,912.36 crore for the project for drawing water from Yettinahole and seven other gorges to pump water towards the districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumkur, Bangalore Rural and parts of Bayalu Seeme region in the State.
Under first phase
Jayachandra said that under the first phase, the government has approved Rs 3,508.80 crore for lifting water from the eight gorges and pumping it to Aravanhalli near Sakleshpur in Hassan district. Under the second phase — estimated to cost Rs 9,403.56 crore — water will be brought through gravity from Aravanhalli to Kolar and Tumkur districts.
The technical bid for the first phase is said to have already been opened and the financial bid is scheduled for February 12. “For the second phase, we have approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and are ready to invite tenders,” the minister said.