The State government on Tuesday said its proposal to build a dam near Mekedatu in Kanakapura taluk in Ramanagaram district, to generate hydro-electric power, is within the framework of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s (CWDT) order.
Speaking to presspersons here, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra said the Union government has issued a gazette notification on the CWDT order and the State government would ensure adequate flow of water to Tamil Nadu while constructing the dam.
The State would seek the Union government’s permission to build the dam and hydro-electric project and then commence work on the project. He said a proposal would be sent to the Centre shortly. The State Cabinet had already discussed the project in detail, and experts and State advocates had also been consulted, he said. Mr. Jayachandra said: “There may not be any legal problems, including objections from the Tribunal, in utilising additional Cauvery water. There is a possibility of setting up three hydel projects by storing nearly 50 tmcft of water. The water can be used to generate power after which it can be let into Tamil Nadu.” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention and to advice the Karnataka government not to take up any schemes, including hydel projects in the Cauvery basin without her State’s consent. She also requested the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, not to accord clearance to any project by Karnataka on the Cauvery till a permanent monitoring mechanism — the Cauvery Management Board — is formed.
