‘No row with TN, so why delay Mekedatu’

NT Correspondent

Mysuru: Former CM Siddaramaiah said that since there is no water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and there is no legal hurdle to the Mekedatu project with the Central Water Commission already according in-principle approval, one fails to understand why the BJP government in the state is sleeping over it for the past two and a half years?

If all MPs from the state press for it, the project can get clearance from the Centre immediately. But the BJP has deferred several meetings related to the project and has miserably failed to get clearance, though it will resolve Bengaluru’s drinking water problems for the next 50 years, he said.

Speaking at a press meet in Mysuru, the former CM said, “Since there is a final judgement of the Cauvery water dispute tribunal on releasing 177.25 TMC of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu during the entire water year (from June to May) when we have normal rains, there is no water issue between TN and Karnataka. The National green tribunal has vacated the stay related to Mekedatu. Tamil Nadu had filed an application in the Supreme Court against the project, but no stay has been granted. Since all four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, including Harangi, Hemavathi, Kabini and KRS can hold only 115 TMC of water and since we had excess rains this year, the state has already released 200 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu this year. And this is beyond the water we are supposed to release in the entire water year. The Mekedaatu balancing reservoir is only meant to store excess water and stop it from flowing into the sea. When there is not enough water in the four dams, we can release water to Tamil Nadu and help them. Tamil Nadu is opposing this project for political reasons and the BJP government here is indirectly backing them,” he said.