BENGALURU: Continuing its efforts to implement the Mekedatu project, the Karnataka government on Tuesday insisted that the Cauvery Water Management Authority take it up for discussion which would clear Tamil Nadu’s apprehensions over this drinking water project. The issue is likely to come up for discussion during the next meeting of the Authority in September.
Sources said that the project was on the agenda for discussion during the Authority’s meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. “But it was deferred after objections from Tamil Nadu. It will most likely be taken up for discussion at the next meeting,” said sources in the government. The State had prepared to clear Tamil Nadu’s apprehensions, they added.
TN requests state to compensate for water shortage
Karnataka is keen to take up the balancing reservoir project to provide drinking water to Bengaluru after obtaining necessary approvals. During his recent visit to the national capital, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had discussed it with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
While Karnataka has been insisting that there is no irrigation component in the project and it will not have any impact on releasing its share of water, Tamil Nadu is opposing the project on the grounds that it would impact its farmers..
During Tuesday’s meeting, Tamil Nadu requested Karnataka to compensate for the shortage of water released over the last three months. Officers from Karnataka, however, explained that inflows into four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin are lesser than expected this year and it would be difficult for the state to make up for the shortage fully.
During June, July and August in a normal year, Karnataka has to release 86 tmcft of water. It has released 56 tmcft this year, the sources said. The hydrological and meteorological situation in the Cauvery basin was reviewed and it was observed that the flows released up to August 29, 2021 from Biligundlu were less than the prescribed norm. The Authority directed Karnataka to compensate for the shortage in September depending on the inflows, the sources added.