A day after an all-party delegation led by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi seeking his intervention to take up the Mekedatu project on Cauvery River which is expected to provide drinking water to the parched seven districts of Karnataka along with producing over 400 MW of power, Chief Minister reiterated that Karnataka will go ahead with the project.
Siddaramaiah blamed Tamil Nadu for politicising the issue. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Friday he said the delegation led by him told the Prime Minister that Tamil Nadu's opposition to Mekedatu drinking water project across Cauvery is politically motivated and said his Government would go ahead with the project
He said, "I had led an all party delegation to Prime Minister yesterday on Mekedatu issue. All our Central Ministers, MP's, Opposition leaders had come. Mekedatu is a drinking water and power generation project. If we do this project we will be able to store up to 30 to 35 TMC water during rainy season and utilise it as drinking water for Bengaluru's rural, urban and nearby areas. We told the PM that Tamil Nadu is unnecessarily opposing this project. It will in no way affect them, their farmers or their crops," he added.
Stating that as per the tribunal's order, 192 TMC water is being given to Tamil Nadu without any hindrance. Siddaramaiah said, "Additional 50-60 TMC water has been flowing to them; our plan is to store additional water that is flowing into the sea by constructing a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu. This project will have a capacity to generate 400 MW power."
"Tamil Nadu is unnecessarily trying to cause hindrance to this project. I want to tell Tamil Nadu that their opposition to this project for political reasons is wrong," he further added.
According to sources, the State Government has allocated Rs25 crore and invited global expression of interest for a detailed project report.
Siddaramaiah said we have also spoken to the PM on the issue of Kannada language as a medium of instruction in schools.
"We have requested him to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of all the States because this is not the issue of Karnataka alone, it is relevant to the whole country. We may have to bring an amendment to Article 21(a). We will have to build consensus," he said.
Speaking at the inaugural event of Reach-3B of the Bangalore Metro Railway line between Nagasandra and Peenya Industrial area along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Union Urban Development Minister M Venkhaiah Naidu, who is also member of the Rajya Sabha from the State said, "Yesterday the Chief Minister led a delegation to the Prime Minister, the need of the hour across the country (is) to have medium of instruction in mother tongue, it is important..." "....as an individual, as a Minister I totally support it....the Prime Minister has suggested that the matter be discussed at the all party level meeting....."