Mekedatu dam: Stalin, Yediyurappa rule out scope of talks as Congress politicises issue

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa strongly asserted on Tuesday saying that Karnataka has every right to build the Rs 9,000-crore Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery and said that work on the project would begin soon. In an all-party meet, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin condemned Karnataka’s move and appealed to the union government to not give a green signal for the project. Despite having strong ties with Tamil Nadu, Yediyurappa said, “I do not want to discuss with Tamil Nadu or any other state. We have every right and we are going to start the work.”

After a meeting on irrigation projects across Karnataka with Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Yediyurappa said: “He has assured us to resolve all issues regarding providing clearances from the Centre for the implementation of the projects.” The gazette notification of the Krishna Tribunal Award, Environment Ministry clearance for Mekedatu project, Upper Krishna Project, Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project, and implementation of Yettinahole project were discussed in the meeting. Karnataka’s Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been submitted to Central Water Commission (CWC) and it has been referred to the Cauvery Monitoring Committee. The Union Minister is aware of the whole issue and has promised to look into and give justice to Karnataka,”

Karnataka Congress President, D K Shivakumar, said in a tweet that he hopes that the date of initiation of the Mekedatu Project will be revealed soon. He even said that this project represents hope for Karnataka and will fulfil it under any condition. Due to his strong ties with the Tamil Nadu government, Yediyurappa wrote to Stalin and urged him not to oppose the controversial project. He offered to hold a bilateral meet. Stalin replied by asking him to not go ahead with the project. Mekedatu is a multipurpose project to build a balancing reservoir, near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district. The project will provide drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas (4.75 TMC) and will be able to generate 400 MW of power. 

Why is TN against the project?

Karnataka has maintained that the project will be beneficial to both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as during a drought, the surplus water can be stored and managed between both of them and that its implementation will not affect farmers of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu objects that the project would ‘impound and divert’ the uncontrolled water flow to Tamil Nadu from Kabini sub-basin, the catchment area below Krishnarajasagara, and also from Simsha, Arkavathy and Suvarnavathi sub-basins. Tamil Nadu says that no construction across Cauvery should be taken up without consulting the lower riparian states.

(With inputs from The Federal)