Bengaluru: Head of Karnataka Minister B Yediyurappa on Tuesday once again confirmed that the state had received the right to implement the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery River and will start work, despite the objections of Nadu Tamil neighbors.
He held a discussion with the Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and looked for permission from the center to apply Mekedatu and other irrigation projects in the state.
“I don’t want to discuss Tamil Nadu or other countries.
We have gotten every right and we will start work,” Yediyurappa said in response to the question of Tamil Nadu’s objection to the Mekedatu project.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with the Union minister, he said detailed discussions occurred on irrigation projects in the state including Mekedatu.
“Definitely in the coming days we will complete all projects and he (the Union Minister) will help from the center in everything.
He has convinced us to resolve all problems regarding giving permission from the project implementation center,” he added.
The discussion is about Gazette’s notification of the Krishna court award, permission for the Ministry of Environment for the Mekedatu project, the Krishna Upper project, the Nala Kalasa-Banduri project, the implementation of the Yetinahole project, among others.
The Minister of Home Affairs Basavaraj Bommai said CM had assessed the Union minister on the problem of Mekedatu and urged for permission, who was waiting before the Indian government.
“The detailed project report (DPR) has been submitted to the Central Air Commission (CWC) and has been referred to the Cauvery Monitoring Committee, the Union Minister realizes all problems and has promised to see and give justice to Karnataka,” he added.
Karnataka’s affirmation came a day after meeting all parties called by Chief Minister Tamil Nadu M St Stalin condemned the efforts by Karnataka to build a dam in Mekedatu and urged the union government to not approve the proposal.
Earlier on the day, pointing at the meeting between CM and the Union Minister, Congress President Karnataka DK Shivakumar in a tweet said ” The stone that was missed to fulfill it! “Yediyurappa had previously written to Stalin urged him not to oppose the Mekedatu project” in the right spirit “and offered to hold a bilateral meeting to overcome any problems.
In response, Stalin has urged Yediyurappa not to pursue the Mekedatu project, when he refused the Karnataka stand that the project implementation would not affect the interests of Tamil Nadu farmers.
Karnataka has stated that projects in their territory will benefit the two countries because the stored water surplus can be managed between the two during the years of trouble, and its implementation will not affect the interests of the Tamil Nadu agricultural community, because there will be no impact on the water.
While the neighboring country believes that the project will “confiscate and divert” the flow of water that is uncontrollable because Tamil Nadu from Kabini sub-basins, the catchment area under the Krishnarajasagara, and also from SIMSHA sub-basins, Arkavathy and Suvarnavathi other than other small flows.
Also, according to Tamil Nadu, according to the verdict of the Supreme Court there is no construction throughout Cauvery to be taken without consulting lower edge countries.
Mekedatu is a multipurpose project (drinking and powerful), which involves building a reservoir balancing, near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district.
Projects that have been entirely intended to ensure drinking water to Bengaluru and neighboring areas (4.75 TMC) and can also produce 400 MW power, and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 9,000 Crore.