K'taka Cabinet approves Rs 218 cr drinking water project

Bangalore, Aug 18 (UNI) Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje today said the State Cabinet had approved 20 drinking water schemes in the state at a cost of Rs 218.3 crore under the Central Submission Project.

Ms Karandlaje told reporters after the Cabinet Meeting that the project was aimed at providing drinking water from tanks and rivers to 462 villages of 12 taluks in the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Raichur, Kolar, Koppal, Davanagere, Bellary, Chikkaballapur and Mandya.

The scheme would fetch surface water to the regions, which have more iron and flouride content in underground water.

She said the Cabinet had given its approval for setting up new Cabinet Sub Committee in connection with the inter-state water disputes.

The Minister said the Cabinet had also decided to release the remaining four TMC water from Cauvery under the Distress Formula to Tamil Nadu, depending on the inflow in the coming days.

The issue regarding relief works to be taken up in flood-hit areas in the state also came up for discussion, Ms Karandlaje said and added that a final decision in this regard would be taken next week.

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