Hassan: The Committee on Government Assurances visited several villages in Sakleshpur taluk on April 12 to inspect the progress made in Yettinahole project.
A team comprising Committee Chairman MLA Rajanna, legislators and officials visited Kesaganahalli, Kumbaradi Coffee Estate, Maranahalli Kadumane Estate, Hebbasale and areas surrounding Hemavathi river bridge and the river path to inspect the progress made in the construction of pump houses and other works around Hebbanahalli village.
Committee headed by Rajanna interacted with the officials in Durga Hotel before proceeding on inspection.
The all important project to feed water starved areas of districts surrounding the capital has great significance in terms of sacrifice made by farmers in Malnad region by giving land towards the execution of the project to protect the interest of the people, said Rajanna .
The committee is not only assessing the progress but getting all other relevant information from the officials concerned, he added.
The government has spent Rs 1800 Crore out of the budgeted Rs 12900 Crore till now, Rajanna said and remained hopeful on pumping operations to start by December 2017.
The central and state experts have assured of diverting 24 TMC of water from the Malnad region by using the available water resources to the water starved districts of Chikkaballapur and Kolar to mitigate the woes of the people in those regions, MLA Rajanna said. Once operational, the project will change the landscape in the water starved districts to benefit the majority of people, he stated.
Government has initiated action to solve the problems of coffee and cardamom growers in the region. In all, Rs 118 Crore has been allotted for the first phase of road development works and fund will be sanctioned for the second phase shortly, Rajanna assured.
The private land required for the project will be bought by the state government directly by giving good prices to land holders. The Deputy Commissioner will release a notification shortly in this direction, Rajanna clarified.
Totally 232, 54 hectares of land will be utilised for the project which includes 181.63 of private land and 36.89 hectares of forest land. Instructions have been issued to acquire the required land at the earliest and transfer the same to Visveswaraya Jala Nigam, MLA Rajanna said divulging more details on land acquisition.
