BENGALURU: The state government has constituted a team headed by the director of Karnataka Engineering Research Station (KERS) for the speedy implementation of the Mekedatu Balanced Watershed Project. The move comes after the recent Supreme Court order that favoured Karnataka.
The project office will be set up in Ramanagara of Bengaluru South district. It will have 30 officials, including an executive engineer. A meeting on Mekedatu held on November 18 and chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar decided to set up the office of superintending engineer to expedite the project work. However, for the finance department approval for staffing and office building, it has been decided to give the responsibility to the KERS director, stated a release from the DCM’s office.
The Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL) will take steps to set up the Mekedatu project office. The office team will function under the CNNL director and administrative expenses too will be borne by CNNL.
The CNNL director has been instructed to hand over all relevant documents to the KERS director, the GO said. Last month, the Supreme Court refused to entertain two applications filed by Tamil Nadu against Karnataka’s move to construct a new reservoir at Mekedatu.