Karnataka   

Netravathi scheme will not create problems: Moily

CHICKBALLAPUR:Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily on Sunday said the proposed Netravathi diversion scheme, aimed at providing irrigation facilities to central Karnataka region, would not create any problems for Dakshina Kannada district.

Breaking his long silence on the proposed project, Mr. Moily told a gathering at Gauribidanur in Chickballapur district that he was “100 per cent loyal to Chickballapur and not to Dakshina Kannada district”. Mr. Moily, who hails from the erstwhile undivided Dakshina Kannada district, said there had been a propaganda on his views on the Netravathi diversion project.

Mr. Moily's statement assumes significance as prominent citizens such as D. Veerendra Heggade, green activists and the public from Dakshina Kannada have strongly opposed the scheme stating that it would endanger the ecology and environment of the region.

The Netravathi diversion scheme, envisaged by G. Paramasivaya Committee, aims at providing drinking water and irrigation facilities to Central Karnataka districts, including Chickballapur and Bangalore Rural, that are part of the Chickballapur constituency represented by Mr. Moily in the Lok Sabha.

After launching various development works taken up by the Gauribidanur Town Municipal Council, he reiterated that the Centre would soon approve the Rs. 2,500-crore drinking water and minor irrigation project for Chickballapur and Bangalore Rural districts by drawing water from some major rivers (not the Netravathi).

Later, launching tourism development works worth Rs. 3 crore at the pilgrim centre Vidurashwatha in Gauribidanur taluk, Mr. Moily said plans were on to have a ropeway at the famous Nandi Hills in Chickballapur district.

Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development G. Janardhan Reddy, who was present on the occasion, said the State would bear 50 per cent of the total cost if the Centre took up the rope-way project at Nandi Hills. Mr. Reddy said the Government would develop Vidurashwatha, known as Karnataka's Jalianwallah Bagh, into a tourist centre.

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