76 projects commissioned, 300 are being implemented

The Western Ghats, which has made it to the coveted list of World Heritage sites, is facing a serious threat from mini-hydel projects in Karnataka. According to K. Ramesh, a senior officer of Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL), 76 mini-hydel projects have already been commissioned and 300 are in various stages of implementation. Sources in KREDL disclosed that permission had been accorded for setting up 72 mini-hydel projects in the Western Ghats. Of these, 44 are coming up along the Netravati and its tributaries.

The State government was resorting to “jugglery of words” when speaking about the Netravati diversion project and the Yettinahole project, member of the Western Ghats Task Force B.M. Kumaraswamy said here on Wednesday.

Speaking to The Hindu here on the sidelines of a programme organised by the task force and the Department of Forests, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the government was denying that there was any attempt to divert the Netravati, and instead it was saying that it would supply drinking water to Kolar, Chickballapur, Chitradurga and Bangalore Rural districts from the Yettinahole, a tributary of the Netravati, he said.

Proposes securing additional water within Tribunal’s framework

Drawing additional Cauvery water within the framework of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal award is the short term plan recommended by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (BWSSB) expert committee, appointed by the government to find solutions to the growing demand for water in the City.

The entire Western Ghats must be considered as ecologically sensitive, especially to ensure the sustainability of the rivers of the Indian Peninsula, the Madhav Gadgil Committee report has said.

As many as 176 villages will be benefited from 30 surface water schemes. The zilla panchayat engineering division of Dakshina Kannada has proposed to draw more water from the River Nethravathi.

Water experts in the City have termed uneconomical the BWSSB expert committee’s plan to divert west-flowing rivers to fulfil Bangalore’s growing demand for water.

The panel, which was set up in the beginning of 2011, had to design projects to fulfil both short-term and long-term water needs of residents.

Is diverting Yettinahole stream to bring water to dry districts the answer? At last, the State Government seems to be waking up to the hardship faced by the people of Chikkaballapur and Tumkur districts due to non-availability of drinking water.

Due to illegal fishing by the non-local fishermen, who belong to nomad community, the Netravati river water is getting contaminated and it has been alleged that organisms living in water are being destroyed.

Funds released only for the construction of dam at Thumbe, says Palemar

The government is yet to release funds for the acquisition of land for the new vented dam at Thumbe, to supply drinking water to Mangalore City.

An official of the Karnataka Water Board informed at the KDP meet on Saturday that funds were sanctioned only for the construction of dam across Netravati river at Thumbe while