In spite of Tamil Nadu’s resistance, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday made it clear that the State would go ahead with constructing a dam on river Cauvery at Mekedatu near Bengaluru.
He said, “Tamil Nadu has been raising objections unnecessarily on Cauvery water sharing issue to gain political mileage and the State will give a befitting reply at appropriate form. We are going ahead with the project.”
Siddaramaiah said as per the tribunal verdict, the 195 tmc of water was released to Tamil Nadu. But without any valid reason they were raising objection even on projects taken up legally that too for solving drinking water problem.
Siddaramaiah maintained that Karnataka would use the dam water only to supply drinking water to parched Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara, Bengaluru rural district besides producing hydro power using the running water in the river. There were protests in Cauvery heartland Mandya, Mysore, Bengaluru, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chamarajanagara and other places.
MlAs cutting across party line in Karnataka have supported the stand of the Government and asked the Government to go ahead with the Makedatu project which is to supply drinking water to many districts of Karnataka. Meanwhile, farmers association and pro-Kannada activists staged protests against Tamil Nadu Government’s stand.