BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday approved a proposal for a borehole survey in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary for the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project and directed officials to send it to the National Board for Wildlife for approval. This decision was taken at the State Wildlife Board meeting chaired by Shivakumar, who also holds the forest, environment and ecology portfolio.
The CM directed the officials to expedite the process of obtaining all clearances for the proposed project. On Tamil Nadu’s objections to it, he asked the officials to get the technical issues resolved at the earliest. A forest official, who attended the meeting, said the borehole survey is to know the status of soil and rocks at the project site.
Based on the survey results, a detailed project report will be prepared. However, clearances from the wildlife board and the forest department are needed apart from the Union government’s permission for the survey.
The official said the CM expressed his willingness to communicate with the Union government over speedy clearance for the proposal. Termed Shivakumar’s ambitious project, it will be taken up at a cost of Rs 9,000 crore to supply 4.75tmcft of drinking water to Bengaluru and generate 400MW power.