MYSURU: Even as the tussle over the construction of Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery continues, the Karnataka Save Hogenakkal forum, farmers and other activists now demand shifting of Biligundlu water gauging station to Hogenakkal along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
Also insistent on a resurvey of Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border in Hogenakkal, they claim that more than 12 tmcft of water is flowing to Tamil Nadu from the streams that join the Cauvery near the famous Hogenakkal waterfalls.
Accusing Tamil Nadu of encroaching 300 acres of land belonging to Karnataka in Hogenakkal for constructing a watchtower, hanging bridge and other facilities under the charade of promoting tourism, they want Karnataka to put pressure on Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to shift the gauging station to prove that Tamil Nadu is getting more than 175 tmcft of water that was awarded by the tribunal.
Environmentalist Punajanur Doreswamy has accused TN of preparing the ground for Phase II of Cauvery drinking water project to quench the thirst of Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore. When Tamil Nadu has opposed Karnataka utilising 6.5 tmcft of water from the proposed Mekedatu reservoir to meet the water needs of Bengaluru, Ramanagara and a few other districts, questions have been raised over the former taking up the Phase II project without the approval of the CWMA. Tamil Nadu had implemented the Phase I of the project despite strong opposition from the then Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa.
Recalling that Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments have completed 9km of joint survey in Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border falling under Hogenakkal, Doreswamy says that the survey, which was stopped citing elections, has not resumed nor the riparian states have exhibited political will to complete it.
Farmer leader Kurubur Shanthakumar said that the Union Government, which has mentioned river-linking projects in its budget, should first give permission to construct the Mekedatu project that would cater to the needs of both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and contain the wastage of water during incessant rains in the Cauvery catchment, basin and also the delta. He has decided to write to the Karnataka and TN chief secretaries to complete the resurvey.