Karnataka will continue pursuing the Mekedatu project on the Cauvery River, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Saturday, asserting that the state has the right to build the balancing reservoir while protecting Tamil Nadu’s share of water. He said Karnataka would submit the required documents to Central ministries and seek forest and environmental clearances in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The project has remained a major point of disagreement between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has opposed the proposed reservoir, arguing that it could affect the interests of its farmers. Karnataka has maintained that the project would help meet Bengaluru’s drinking-water requirements and provide a buffer during periods of water scarcity.
“Let them (Tamil Nadu government) come with a delegation. I will show them and explain how this project will benefit them,” Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru while responding to criticism from Tamil Nadu over his remarks on the project.
Shivakumar said Karnataka was duty-bound to protect Tamil Nadu’s entitlement to 177 thousand million cubic feet of Cauvery water, while maintaining that this obligation did not prevent the state from constructing the dam. “It is our duty to protect their right. At the same time, it is our right to build the dam and provide them with water,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said that all political parties in Karnataka had agreed that the Mekedatu project should proceed. He said he was submitting the necessary documents to Central ministries to secure forest and environmental clearances. Shivakumar also said he had urged the Centre to reject the Kasturirangan report, without providing further details in the statement reported by PTI.
The proposed reservoir is being presented by Karnataka as part of the state’s response to Bengaluru’s growing drinking-water needs. The project’s progress, however, remains linked to regulatory approvals and the continuing inter-state dispute over the use and sharing of Cauvery waters. Shivakumar said Karnataka would pursue the project while adhering to the Supreme Court’s directions.
During his interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shivakumar also raised funding and implementation issues concerning Bengaluru’s transport infrastructure. He sought equal funding from the Centre and the state for Metro Rail projects, the constitution of a technical committee and the expedited completion of pending Metro projects, including the extension of the Pink Line.
He also discussed flyovers and double-decker structures for Bengaluru, saying only about eight per cent of the city’s area was covered by roads, compared with 18 to 20 per cent in other places. He said land acquisition for conventional road expansion could cost around Rs 50,000 per square foot, and that Karnataka was willing to share the expenditure on double-decker structures. Shivakumar said Prime Minister Modi had agreed to the proposal for an all-party delegation to discuss these issues.
The next formal steps on the Mekedatu project will involve Karnataka’s submission of documents to the concerned Central ministries and its pursuit of forest and environmental clearances.
