Major hurdle for Yettinahole project cleared: MoEFCC gives in-principle approval for diversion of forest land in Hassan, Tumakuru districts
The Hindu
MoEFCC grants in-principle approval for Yettinahole project, clearing a major hurdle for water supply in Karnataka's drought-hit areas.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) of Government of India has accorded in-principle (stage-1) approval for diversion of 111.02 hectares of forest land in Hassan and Tumkur districts for the Yettinahole Drinking Water Project, targeted to provide water to drought-prone areas in Karnataka.
In a letter dated April 1, 2026, the Forest Conservation Division of the MoEFCC informed the Additional Chief Secretary (Forest, Ecology and Environment) in Karnataka that the Centre accorded the stage-1 approval under the Van (Samrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Abdhiniyam, 1980, for diverting the land to construct a gravity canal passing through the two districts.
The MoEFCC has placed certain conditions with regard to compensatory afforestation, online transfer of the Net Present Value (NPV) of the forest land being diverted, settlement of the rights with respect to Scheduled Tribes and traditional forest dwellers in the forest land, among others.
The Visvesvaraya Jala Nigamal Limited, the project proponent, has to fulfil the conditions and take the working permit to begin the canal work in the forest.
The main pump house of Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project at Doddanagara. | Photo Credit: File photo
A senior official stated that, with the approval, a major hurdle for the project had been cleared. Earlier, the proposal was for diversion of 173.31 hectare. However, it had been revised to 111.02 hectares, due to which the estimation cost of the project went up by ₹425 crore. “Now, we have to show compliance for the condition, and make necessary payments to get the permission to begin the work on the ground. The technical procedures will follow," the official said.
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