BENGALURU: The Mekedatu Cauvery balancing reservoir is the only solution to solve Cauvery water issues, said Deputy Chief Minister, here on Friday.
Shivakumar, who is also the water resources minister, said, “The Mekedatu project will help us in such a distress season and help us tide over the crisis. We have informed the Supreme Court about this.”
On the Supreme Court ordering the Cauvery Water Management Authority to monitor Karnataka’s release of water to Tamil Nadu, he said, “The court itself has constituted the Cauvery Water Management Authority and there is also a technical committee. This time, they have to focus on the technical issues.’’
He said that in 2022, around 400 tmcft of Cauvery water will flow into the sea. Even if a small portion of it had been retained through the Mekedatu dam, this problem would not have arisen.
He said, “We cannot use Mekedatu dam water for irrigation as it can only be utilised for drinking water. We have raised this issue in our application. The Supreme Court needs to take note of this issue.”
Shivakumar said, “We respect the court’s order even though there is some opposition in our state. Our government has given all the information to the court and we are committed to protecting the interest of the farmers of our state. Tamil Nadu should have alerted its farmers not to sow, as we did.”
He said, “Besides the BJP-backed politically motivated agitation in Mandya, none of the farmers in the state have expressed their opposition. “The Supreme Court has not taken any decision on the release of water. I want to tell the Supreme Court and the state government of Tamil Nadu that if there is a solution to this problem, the Mekedatu project is the only solution.”