Implementing Mekedatu drinking water project is the “right of Karnataka”, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted on Saturday and said he would lead a delegation of all-party leaders to Delhi on April 22 to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue.
Responding to the memorandum submitted by leaders of Kannada organisations, which had called Karnataka bandh on Saturday demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project, the Chief Minister said efforts would be made to convince the Prime Minister about the importance of the project for Karnataka.
‘Work will begin’He assured of commencing the civil works on the project as soon as the detailed project report was prepared. He has allocated Rs. 25 crore in this budget for the preparation of the DPR. He said Mekedatu and Yettinahole projects were the solution to drinking water woes of parched districts such as Kolar, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagaram where the groundwater table had receded alarmingly.
Taking exception to Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the Mekedatu project, he maintained that it was not right to oppose a drinking water project. Karnataka had not opposed when Tamil Nadu had taken up the Hogenakkal drinking water project, he recalled. The proposed reservoir to be built across the Cauvery at Mekedatu would make use of excess water during floods and would no way affect Tamil Nadu’s share of the Cauvery waters, he said.
CS’s visitEven as the State bandh was being observed, Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee visited the proposed site for construction of a balancing reservoir in Mekedatu along with officials on Saturday. Mr. Mukherjee, who inspected the site, is expected to submit a report to the government.