Mandya, Oct 31 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday said that the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project was reaching a decisive stage, with the state government moving ahead on resolving pending forest and land-related issues.
The Mekedatu project, proposed across the River Cauvery near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, aims to construct a balancing reservoir with a storage capacity of 66 TMC to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas and generate hydropower.
However, the project has faced strong opposition from Tamil Nadu, which argues that it could affect its share of Cauvery water and violate the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and Supreme Court directions.
Tamil Nadu has repeatedly opposed the project, insisting that Karnataka cannot construct the reservoir without its consent.
Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the project would help Karnataka manage water during crisis periods by storing Cauvery water and better handling the state’s obligation to release the prescribed quantity of water to Tamil Nadu.
“Mandya is known as the cradle of rice, and the River Cauvery flows through the district. During my time, I ensured that an affidavit was filed in the Supreme Court, following which the Apex Court gave its consent to the Mekedatu project,” he said.
Shivakumar said the Deputy Commissioner of Mandya had been made the chairman of a committee dealing with the identification of forest land and allocation of parallel land for the project.
“We have already identified 2,500 acres of land and are in the process of identifying the remaining land,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the Mekedatu project would be particularly beneficial during water crisis periods.
“If the Mekedatu project is completed, water can be stored there during a crisis. We have a prescribed obligation to release about 177 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu every year. The project will enable us to store about 66 tmc of water, which will benefit the people of Mandya and farmers dependent on the Hemavathi, Kabini and Harangi reservoirs,” Shivakumar said.
He said the project would help Karnataka better manage the release of water during difficult periods.
“For this, we have worshipped Goddess Cauvery. Everything is now coming to a decisive stage. I have already met Union Ministers, and I request BJP leaders to work together with us,” he said.
Shivakumar said a forest-related matter was still pending and the state government was filing an affidavit regarding the allocation of parallel land.
“After this, the court will have to give its consent. The remaining work related to the project will then be continued,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that around 500 acres of farmers’ land would be utilised for the project and the land acquisition process would commence soon.
–IANS
mka/dan