Bengaluru: At a time when Tamil Nadu is caught in a 'power crisis', the Karnataka government has given its in-principle approval to the much-awaited Mekedatu drinking and hydro power project which it plans to take up at a cost of Rs 5,912 crore.
This project, though envisaged in 1995, was delayed due to opposition from Tamil Nadu, which claims it is a violation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal verdict. Though delayed, the state government had made up its mind to take up the project at any cost, in a bid to utilise the unutilised Cauvery water that flows into the sea without being used by Tamil Nadu.
"This project does violates the tribunal order since the State wants to impound only over and above 192 tmc ft of water as fixed by the tribunal to be released to Tamil Nadu. We are building a balancing reservoir to impound 66 tmc ft of water to be used for drinking water and to generate around 400 MW of power. It will be advantageous both to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu", opined Karnataka Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil.
The Mekedatu project was the brainchild of former prime minister, H.D. Deve Gowda who had appointed a technical committee headed by noted irrigation expert, K.C. Reddy to study its feasibility. Though, the committee submitted its report, the project could not take off due to strong opposition from the TN government. In the meantime, Mr Gowda got elected as prime minister and the subsequent governments did not bother much about the project for various reasons.
"The basic contention of Karnataka is that after ensuring 192 tmc annually in a normal water year to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka is not barred by any of the provisions of the tribunal's final order from utilizing the surplus water for construction of a project, particularly the project for hydro power and drinking water, in its territory" said Mr Mohan Katarki, a former member of the legal team representing Karnataka in the Supreme Court on Cauvery disputes.
He said there was no order of restraint against Karnataka on this project. It was true that Tamil Nadu had filed Interim Application in 2008 and 2013 seeking stoppage of this project. However, the counsels representing Karnataka had told the court that Karnataka would not go ahead with the project without informing the SC. Obligation on the part of Karnataka was only to inform the court that it wants to take up the project, in its territory, and furnish the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to court, Central Water Commission and Cauvery Supervisory Committee for further course of action. "I think there may not be any objection from the SC as Karnataka is planning to impound surplus water only after releasing 192 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu".
Mr Patil said the state government had only approved the draft DPR and it was subjected to change after legal scrutiny. Permission of Union Ministry of Forests, Environment and Ecology was required as around 4,800 hectares of forest land comes under the project area.
