Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project pre-commissioning tests successful: Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 23 (ANI): The Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project has envisaged lifting of 24.01TMC of water available during monsoon from Yettinahole, Kadumane Hole, Keri Hole and Hongada halla coming under western ghats in Sakaleshapura taluk of Hassan district to mitigate the problem of acute drinking water in drought-prone areas.

This helps the Chikkaballapur, Kolar Districts and other needy areas of Hassan, Ckikkamagaluru, Tumkur, Ramanagar and Bangalore Rural Districts by utilising 14.056TMC of water and filling of 527 tanks to their 50 per cent capacity in the above 05 districts and by utilising 9.953 TMC of water to recharge ground water table which will benefit the population of about 75.59 lakhs (projected population for 2023-24) of 6657 villages and 38 towns in 29 taluks of the above 7 districts, stated Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar office.

The implementation of this state’s ambitious drinking water project amounting to Rs.23,251.66 crores has reached a decisive stage. The lift and power supply works of stage 1 which were started during 2014 have now been completed after resolving the obstacles that arose for many days. Presently it is planned to lift the water from Weir-1,4 & 5 and supply to Delivery chamber-3 further to supply water to the gravity canal through Delivery chamber-4, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s office stated further.

The total length of the Gravity Canal is 252.61 km, out of which 42.00 km of work has been completed. Since the later works have not been completed due to forest and land acquisition issues, it is planned to release the water to Vani Vilasa Sagar temporarily through Veda Valley from the canal escape located @ ch:32.50km which is 132.50 km away from the escape, stated Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar office.

Accordingly, pre-commissioning test activities have been carried out from November 2023 itself and water was supplied to Delivery chamber-3 by lifting water from Weir-4&5. Presently along with these, water is also pumped from Weir-1 to Delivery chamber-4, from water was successfully released to the Gravity Canal on 20.08.2024, the water in the Gravity Canal has already entered the Veda Valley through the nala Escape at ch:32.50 km on the way Halebidu and Belawadi lakes are overflowing and water is flowing towards Vani Vilasa Sagar, stated Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar office.

Presently, it is planned to supply water to the gravity canal by conducting pre-commissioning tests of all weirs (except weitr-3) by 5th Sep 2024. After completion of the pre-testing activities which are currently in progress, the project works will be officially launched and dedicated to the state soon under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, as per Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s office.

Under the Yettinholle Integrated Drinking Water Project, a total cumulative financial progress of Rs.16,152.05 crores has been achieved and the project is planned to be completed on a priority basis by the end of 31.03.2027 of 2026-27. A Telemetry system with German technology in-house system (Real-time discharge measurement) was installed in 2018 to accurately measure water flow near 8 weirs constructed in the catchment area of the Yettinhole project. In the current monsoon season from June, 1 to August 20, 13.34 TMC of water has been recorded out of which 9.23 TMC of divertible water has been recorded, as per Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s office.