BENGALURU: Getting into action mode after the Central Water Commission (CWC) approved the feasibility report of Karnataka on the Mekedatu project in Cauvery basin, Water Resources minister DK Shivakumar is set to go on a spot visit of the proposed project on December 7.
Announcing this here on Monday Shivakumar said, "CWC has asked the state government to submit the Detailed Project Report(DPR) on Mekedatu. We are geared up to submit the DPR at the earliest. I will visit Mekedatu on December 7 and have instructed the top officials of Water Resources, Forest and Finance Departments to be present during the spot visit. I will also visit Shivanasamudra."
Shivakumar has also invited the local legislators and tourism minister Sa Ra Mahesh to accompany him during the visit. According to the preliminary DPR prepared by Karnataka government earlier, the project is estimated to cost about Rs 6,000 crore with the reservoir having a capacity to store 66 TMC ft of water.
Shivakumar expressed confidence of convincing Tamil Nadu about the utility of the project to both the states. "It will be 95% beneficial to Tamil Nadu. The project will not cater to irrigation of even a single acre. It is purely meant for meeting drinking water needs of Bengfalurua and surrounding towns. Even Tamil Nadu representatives will be convinced about it if they take a close look at it," Shivakumar said.