Six companies have responded to the expression of interest (EoI) called by the State government for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) to build a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra, who announced this at a press conference here on Thursday, however, did not divulge the names of the companies which have responded. He said the EoI had been called to get technical expertise on how to go about with the proposed project.
Ever since the Department of Forests raised concerns over submergence of large extent of forest land after the construction of the reservoir, the Karnataka government has been examining the option of building a smaller reservoir with a capacity of 5 to 10 tmcft instead of going for a bigger one. It is planning to make up for the reduction in the capacity by linking the proposed balancing reservoir with series of other small reservoirs which will serve as storage points and provide for distributed storage.
The exact nature of the project, however, would be known only after the preparation of the DPR.
