Bengaluru: Even as an upset Tamil Nadu Tuesday demanded that the Centre withdraw its permission to Karnataka for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a proposed balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project at Mekedatu across the Cauvery, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy asserted that the project has to come into effect.
"No need to panic, Mekedatu project has to come into effect," Kumaraswamy said in response to a question about Tamil Nadu writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The State government is within the framework of law....how it plans to implement the project by petitioning the central government... we will share with you in the days to come." Kumaraswamy's comments come amid reports that the Central Water Commission (CWC) has given its go-ahead to Karnataka for preparing a DPR. Bringing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's notice that the Central Water Commission has this month given its go-ahead to Karnataka for preparing a DPR, Tamil Nadu chief minister Palaniswami said Tamil Nadu had already opposed a feasibility report in the matter.
The CWC, without considering the genuine and justifiable objections of Tamil Nadu, has given permission to Karnataka to prepare the DPR for the Mekedatu project, he said in a letter to Modi.
The previous Siddaramaiah government had decided to implement the Rs 5,912 crore Mekedatu Multipurpose (drinking and power) project across the Cauvery, which involves building a balancing reservoir with a capacity of about 66 tmcft, near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district of the state.
