Yettinahole project at snail's pace, says HDK

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said that the Yettinahole project should not be used for political gains.

Kumaraswamy, along with JD(S) legislators, visited the project site and gathered information from the officials and contractor. He inspected the check dam works at Kadumane, Aluvalli, Kadagaravalli and Kesaganahalli.

Kumaraswamy told reporters that he was on a visit to verify whether Rs 12,900-crore project would supply water to Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural and Tumakuru districts by December-end as was claimed by Legislature Assurance Committee Chairman Rajanna, who visited the project site recently.

“It is not possible to supply water on even an experimental basis by December-end, as the works are progressing at a snail’s pace. While the residents have pinned high hopes on the project, the state government is neglecting it,” Kumaraswamy said.

The government lacks clarity on the project. About 60% of the pipeline work is yet to be completed and the compensation for the land acquired is yet to be disbursed. The works should be expedited and the compensation should be disbursed immediately, he said.

In reply to a query, he said it was not the time to discuss the pros and cons of the project as the government has already spent Rs 1,800 crore on it.

Replying to a query, he said that JD(S) would be strengthened if Congress leader A H Vishwanath joins the party. “He is an experienced politician and he has to take a decision in this regard.”

The party will field candidates from all the constituencies in the upcoming Assembly elections. Those who had been claiming that the JD(S) is limited only to four districts, will get a befitting reply after the elections, he said.

To a question on whether former prime minister H D Deve Gowda has asked the Congress not to issue tickets to suspended JD(S) MLAs, Kumaraswamy said, “We are not so strong to dictate terms to them. But, if people believe so,  it means the regional party is getting stronger.”

MLAs H D Revanna, H K Kumaraswamy, Shivalingegowda, H S Prakash, Suresh, Manjunath and Krishnareddy and MLC Kantharaj were present.