No stopping Karnataka from implementing Mekedatu project: Bommai

K’taka confident of going ahead with project; CM likely to take it up with Jal Shakti Minister 
Basavaraj Bommai
Basavaraj Bommai

BENGALURU: Home, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said the Mekedatu balancing reservoir is a drinking water project and the state will go ahead with it as planned.
He was responding to a question regarding an all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu passing a resolution opposing the project and urging the Centre not to accord clearances for it. It is a project to utilise the surplus water for providing drinking water and generate energy, and a detailed project report has been submitted to Central Water Commission, he said.

“We have the right to implement the project and we 100 per cent confident of implementing it. The Centre has to consider the state’s request (to accord clearances). We will make all efforts to get the required clearances to take up the project,” he said and added that Tamil Nadu must understand that the project will help share water during distress years.

The issue is likely to come up for discussion during Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s visit to Bengaluru on Tuesday. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is holding a meeting with Shekhawat before they review the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission.The Opposition Congress accused Tamil Nadu of creating a controversy. “Let the State Government get all approvals and start the work immediately. We will stand with the government,” said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC)  president D K Shivakumar.

The Congress further leader said all political parties of Tamil Nadu have a common agenda of opposing the Mekedatu project, and added that TN has no say in it. “The Mekedatu project is in my Assembly constituency Kanakapura. Water will be used for Bengaluru and for electricity generation,” said Shivakumar, who had served as Water Resources Minister. “The BJP is in power in the state and at the Centre. They must get all approvals,” Shivakumar said and added that they have information that the central environment board has issued clearance for the project.

TN ALL-PARTY DELEGATION TO VISIT DELHI SOON  
Chennai:
The representatives of legislature parties in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday spoke in unison on preventing Karnataka’s efforts to build a new dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu. With a view to convey to the Union Government about Tamil Nadu’s overall opposition to the project, an all-party delegation would visit New Delhi soon. The delegation is likely to be headed by Chief Minister M K Stalin or Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan. It will be clear within a day or two, along with the list of leaders of all parties to be part of the delegation. The legislature parties meeting, chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin, condemned the Karnataka government’s continued efforts to construct a new dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu and urged the Union Government not to permit Karnataka to go ahead with the project.  

‘POPULATION CONTROL BILL A POLICY MATTER’  
Bengaluru:
Home, Law Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the Population Control Bill is a policy matter . Responding to a question if Karnataka has any plans to bring in a Bill on the lines of Uttar Pradesh, Bommai said, “All these are policy matters. It has to be discussed, deliberated and only then can a decision be taken. Population control has been there for a long time. Now, this is basically based on the incentives given by the government. Family planning is different. It has to be deliberated and we will take a call,” he said. 

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