Yettinahole project: Koratagere farmers suggest an alternative site for constructing dam

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday reassured the farmers at Koratagere that there would not be any forced eviction for the construction of a dam and the Yettinahole project would be completed keeping farmers’ interest in mind.

He was speaking after inspecting the site of the proposed Byragondlu dam in Koratagere taluk of Tumakuru district which will store 5 tmcft of water from the Yettinahole project. He later spoke to the farmers who are losing their land for the dam and received suggestions from them.

Addressing the farmers, he said, “The Yettinahole project is designed to provide drinking water to Tumakuru, Kolar, and Chickballapur districts. Byragondlu dam will store 5 tmfct of water but needs 5,000 acres.”

He said the Yettinahole project’s pipeline has reached Koratagere taluk, and the pipeline work to Chickballapur and Kolar districts has started as well. “A compensation of ₹32 lakh per acre was set for farmers in Doddaballapur taluk and ₹20 lakh for farmers of Koratagere taluk. There was a demand for equal compensation from farmers in Koratagere taluk,” he said.

Farmers, offering suggestions to him, said that tillers in the region had small land-holdings of one or two acres and they cannot afford to give away land. They pointed out that there was a valley a little ahead of the present site that would be a suitable place even for two dams. There was a proposal to build a dam at Devarayanadurga earlier, but that plan was changed, they said. Mr. Shivakumar promised to inspect the alternative site, discuss the matter in the Cabinet and take a final call.

On Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru reviewed the progress of the Yettinahole drinking water project and directed officials of the Water Resources Department to complete drinking water works first and then commence work on filling the lakes.

The project envisages providing 24 tmcft of potable water to the population of water-starved seven districts, including Kolar, Chickballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru South, and Tumakuru, in the southern part of the State. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2027.