The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of remaining silent on the Yettinahole project, which it claims will lead to water scarcity in Dakshina Kannada. Addressing the media on Wednesday, AAP state vice-president Vivekananda Salins said the BJP frequently speaks about Hindus being in trouble, but now everyone is in trouble.
Call for Opposition Pressure
Salins urged the opposition to pressure the state government against diverting water from the Nethravati River to other districts. He also called on local MPs and MLAs to seek answers on the project and demand accountability. Salins warned that the project will affect fishermen and farmers in the next 20 to 30 years.
Project Cost and Progress
Regarding the project cost, Salins noted that while it was initially budgeted at Rs 9,000 crore, current data shows Rs 16,000 crore has been spent. Although construction has progressed up to Arsikere, the original plan to fill the Vani Vilas Dam near Chitradurga remains incomplete.
The government is promising an annual yield of 24.01 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). However, an independent study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) estimates the actual water availability at just 9.55 TMC, Salins said.
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