Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that the plan on Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river would go ahead despite the statements issued by politicians in neighbouring Tamil Nadu that, he said, misled the people of that state. "Water for the Mekedatu project and its planning are not in the hands of Tamil Nadu. Hence the statements of political leaders and their resolutions have no meaning. Though they know this fact, they are doing it to mislead their people politically," Bommai told reporters on the sidelines of an event.
Charging the politicians in Tamil Nadu with bringing in politics, Bommai said,"There is no change in our stand, our efforts, and our legal fight. The Mekedatu project will happen."
Mekedatu is a multi-purpose (drinking water and power) project, which involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district. Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project, raising apprehensions that the state would be affected if the project takes shape.
The project, once completed, is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas (4.75 TMC) and also can generate 400 MW power, and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 9,000 crore.
In another development, the Karnataka government will soon hold discussions with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on constructing a parallel balancing reservoir over Tungabhadra river to desilt it, an issue which involved both these states, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) on this would be ready soon, he said.
"Tenders were floated for desilting the Tungabhadra river, but there was poor response to it. Then it was decided in our time (during the BJP government) to set up a parallel balancing reservoir and a survey was also undertaken," he told reporters. According to him, the then Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had released Rs 23 crore for the DPR.