‘Divert Nethravathi, feed Karnataka’

Strongly advocating the diversion of excess water from rivers flowing westwards to meet the water demands of Bangalore and dry districts, irrigation expert GS Paramashivaiah said this project will not cause any environmental imbalance.

He said the Nethravathi diversion project would satisfy the water needs of 8,337 villages and the greater Bangalore city. He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He said diverting the river would help the districts of Hassan, Tumkur, Bangalore Rural and Urban, Ramanagara (Magadi TQ), Kolar and Chikballapur.

“The Paramashivaiah report, if implemented, can provide 12,000 million cubic feet (TMC) of water to BWSSB,” he said.

At present, about 650 TMC of water is being wasted and has joined the sea, without utilisation, he said. The proposed project, whose feasibility report was prepared by Paramashivaiah, envisages diverting 100 TMC water. The proposal, submitted during the SM Krishna regime, stated that people residing in Western Ghats need not fear the consequences of changing the flow of river.

Protest
Demanding the implementation of the report, the CPI(M) announced that a dharna would be held in front of the BBMP office on May 15. The party’s demands include diverting sewage from the city’s lakes and stopping privatisation of water— particularly private tankers supplying water and indiscriminate digging of borewells.

“The government is trying to promote the Yettinahole project as a diversionary tactic,” said K Prakash, secretary of the southern district committee of the CPI(M).

“However, this project is meant for Kolar and Chikballapur districts and will not benefit Bangalore, despite a water shortage of 1030 MLD (million litres a day) having been predicted by 2036,” he said.
Paramashivaiah suggested that digging of borewells should be banned once the project is implemented so that underground water table could be improved. This is necessary as studies have shown that there has been an alarming increase in fluoride content in the milk from cattle and even human breast milk, he said.