MYSORE/CHENNAI:Reiterating Karnataka’s commitment to the Mekedatu project, Water Resources Minister M B Patil said a detail project report (DPR) on the project would be sent to the Centre in six months.
The state government has proposed to construct a balancing reservoir near Mekedatu across Cauvery.
Patil was speaking after launching Phase-3 lake filling project by utilising water from the Kabini river at Terakanambi, Gundlupet taluk, Chamarajanagar district on Sunday. He said the state government would not go back on the proposed project. The Minister further said measures were being taken to fill lakes in Chamarajanagar district. The irrigated land in the district was less and the government would take steps to address the issue, he added. An action-plan has been prepared for filling 12 lakes in the district from Gandhi Grama in Nanjangud taluk at Rs 60 crore, he said and added that a project would also be implemented to fill 24 lakes in the district from Suthuru. The state government has earmarked Rs 13,000 crore for irrigation projects this year, Patil said. About Rs 1,900 crore has been provided to Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL), he said. District In-charge Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad said a total of 297 villages coming under Chamarajanagar and Gundlupet taluks were facing drinking water crisis.
Meanwhile in Chennai, TNCC president EVK Elangovan, taking exceptions to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s assertions that Tamil Nadu should not demand Cauvery water from Karnataka, pointed to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s decision that had upheld the rights of Tamil Nadu over Cauvery and said Swamy’s views only exposed the BJP’s double standards.