BENGALURU: The state filed a petition before the Supreme Court on Monday claiming rights over surplus water of Cauvery river and objecting to Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery link project on Monday.
Earlier this year, Tamil Nadu had laid the foundation for Cauvery-Vaigai- Gundar link project with an intention to utilise about 45 TMC of surplus water from Cauvery river. Karnataka had objected in the same month and even raised the issue during session this March 2021. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai had replied in the House that they are taking legal help to fight against this.
Confirming that the state filed a petition in the SC, sources in the government said they have filed the plea as per the advice of the legal team. “We have objected to Tamil Nadu government’s intention to use surplus water,” sources said. It can be noted that Tamil Nadu is opposing Karnataka’s plan to build a reservoir at Mekedatu near Ramanagara.
They are even pressuring the Central government to not accord permission to Mekedatu reservoir project with a component to generate 400-megawatt electricity, that is intended to use excess water. Karnataka contends that the project with a capacity to store 67 tmc of water, will help utilise 4.75 tmc water to meet the drinking water needs of Karnataka, including Bengaluru.