Karnataka is contemplating taking legal action against Tamil Nadu for “deviating” from the original plan on the Hogenakkal drinking water project and on the issue of utilisation of water, State Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday.
“The very location of the project is itself in question. As against utilisation of 1.7 tmc feet of water envisaged in the original plan, now it has been increased to 2.4 tmc feet,” he told reporters here.
He said Tamil Nadu had earlier stated that the project would provide drinking water to 30 lakh people, but had now revised it to 45 lakh, in “violation” of the original plan.
Moreover, Tamil Nadu was also transferring water from Cauvery basin to Pennar basin through this project, which is against inter-State river water disputes act, he alleged.
Mr. Bommai alleged that Tamil Nadu has defied the Centre’s directive to stick to the original plan and had not evinced interest in holding parleys to sort out the contentious issues.
He recalled that Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa had indicated during unveiling of a statue of saint-poet Sarvajna in Chennai last year that Chief Secretaries of both States would meet for talks on the Hogenakkal issue. However, no such meeting had taken place so far, he said.
The minister said he would also meet the State’s legal team to discuss various options.
Mr. Bommai, who will leave for Delhi tomorrow, said he would call on Union Water Resources Minister to seek his intervention to direct Tamil Nadu to adhere to the “original plan”.
