Sanction Godavari-Cauvery project in first Cabinet meet: Dr S Ramadoss

Chennai: Contending that the Centre's initiative to link Godavari-Krishna-Cauvery rivers, would help to realise about 200 tmc ft water in Cauvery throughout the year, PMK founder Dr S. Ramadoss, has urged the BJP-led government at the Centre to sanction the project at its maiden Cabinet meeting.

"With a new Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to be formed, sanction for the linking of Godavari-Cauvery rivers should be given at the first Cabinet meeting," Dr. Ramadoss said here on Monday. The project, he said could be implemented with financial assistance from the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.

“Godavari is one the perennial rivers of India and about 1,100 tmc ft water flowed waste into the sea. "If the two rivers are linked then Tamil Nadu will get 200 tmc water in Cauvery all through the year," Ramadoss said and added that the linking of two rivers was mooted way back in 1970 but no action has been taken on it.

The PMK founder's appeal follows Union Minister Nitin Gadkari renewing his assurance to bring water to Tamil Nadu. His first task (as Union Minister) would be to link Godavari-Krishna rivers so that Cauvery becomes copious he had said.

It has been planned to take backwaters of Godavari to Krishna and from Krishna to Pennar and then to the tail end of Cauvery in the State. In January this year, Gadkari said the Centre would implement the project under national river connectivity programme.