Amidst protest by the State of Tamil Nadu, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has given its conditional nod to Mekedatu drinking water project on river Cauvery in Ramanagara district of Karnataka. The decision by the CWC on Tuesday to give an administrative approval by clearing the pre-feasibility report submitted by the Karnataka Government for the construction of a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu across the Cauvery River.
The commission has asked the State to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) after the State revised its pre-feasibility report that was submitted in October 2017. It has also asked Karnataka to follow the Supreme Court’s directives when it comes to water sharing, saying that ‘water supply from Cauvery must not be hampered with’.
Karnataka welcomed the decision of the CWC in clearing long pending drinking water project to seven parched districts of the State. A project report was submitted by then Siddaramaiah Government in 2017 and this will certainly help some of the districts which are affected with severe drinking water shortage.
It was the then Siddaramaiah Government had decided to implement the Rs 5,912 crore Mekedatu Multipurpose (drinking and power) project across the Cauvery, which involves building a balancing reservoir with a capacity of about 66 tmc ft, near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district.
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy welcomed the decision of the CWC and said they would go ahead with the drinking water project at Mekedatu. He said “ we are 100 per cent sure of constructing the dam for drinking water supply to some of the parched districts. We will go ahead with the project. It is in the legal purview.”
He said “no need to panic, Mekedatu project has to come into effect. The State Government is within the framework of law....how it plans to implement the project by petitioning the Central Government... we will share with you in the days to come."
Kumaraswamy's comments come amid reports that the Central Water Commission (CWC) has given its go-ahead to Karnataka for preparing a DPR.
Karnataka Water Resource Minister DK Shivakumar welcomed the CWC clearance to Mekedatu project and said the State would take Tamil Nadu in to confidence.
He said "We will take the project forward in a way that it does not affect Tamil Nadu. The water supply to them (TN) will not be reduced because of this. We are ready for talks with Tamil Nadu."
Opposition leader BS Yeddyurappa of the BJP thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Water Resource Minister Nitin Gadkari and the CWC for the approval. He also asked the ruling Government to stop giving excuses and commence the construction work. He said "Karnataka Government should consider this as a special case and allocate funds on priority basis to complete the project in a time-bound manner."
The Rs 5,912-crore project is a balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project which will provide water to villages in the southern districts of Bengaluru, Kolarand Ramnagara. It is also expected to generate hydro-electricity.
in another development Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EK Palalniswami wrote a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to direct the water resource ministry to withdraw the permission it has granted to the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam.
"The Central Water Commission without considering the genuine and justifiable objections of Tamil Nadu has given permission. The proposal for reservoir is not just for drinking water alone as claimed by Karnataka, but to increase the extent of irrigation which is in clear violation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award as affirmed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. This action has caused great alarm and apprehension among the people of Tamil Nadu," read the letter.
The project which was announced in 2013 has faced various hurdles over the years as the matter was sub judice. However, with the apex court’s verdict in February this year and the formation of the scheme, the decade-long dispute seemed settled until now.