BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Friday asserted that it will oppose the proposed water project at Hogenakkal in Tamil Nadu, stating that the neighbouring state cannot take up the work unilaterally.
Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol said, "It has come to my notice that Tamil Nadu has announced finalising a Detailed Project Report worth Rs 4,600 crore to undertake Phase-2 of the Hogenakkal project. They cannot take this project unilaterally."
Karjol said the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court will have to be followed with regard to water utilisation. The border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at Hogenakkal has not been finalised yet by the Survey of India, which is essential for taking up the project, he said.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the Rs 9,000 crore Mekedatu balancing reservoir project of the Karnataka government in Ramanagara district, which is aimed at meeting the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and neighbouring districts.
Tamil Nadu contends that the project will impact the interests of farmers in its lower riparian regions. Instead, it had advocated a dam at Hogenakkal on the border between Chamarajanagar in Karnataka and Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu.