Bengaluru: Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa dashed off a letter to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin, requesting him not to oppose the implementation of Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river. 

In the letter, the Chief Minister has stated that the proposed project does not affect the interests of the farmers of Tamil Nadu. Mekedatu is a balancing reservoir –cum drinking water project for Bengaluru City. The proposed project is contemplated to regulate the flow of water to Tamil Nadu as stipulated in the final orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), CM explained in the letter. 

In the letter, Mr. Yediyurappa has also stated that to address issues, if any, Karnataka is ready to hold a bilateral meeting with officials of Tamil Nadu to clear all apprehensions about Mekedatu project. 

Further, CM stated that Tamil Nadu had planned two hydro-power projects, Kundah Pumped storage hydro-electric project, and Sillahalla pumped storage hydro-electric project in Bhavani sub-basin of Cauvery basin in Tamil Nadu. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change has accorded environmental clearances for the Kundah pumped storage Hydra-Electric Project on February 12, 2021, like the Sillahalla project is under consideration of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the ministry. On these projects, the Tamil Nadu government has neither entered into any kind of negotiations nor secured consent from Karnataka, CM pointed out in the letter. 

Mr.Yediyurappa also mentioned that Tamil Nadu had filed a counter-affidavit before the Madras High Court, which revealed that the state government has taken up the execution of several projects on the Cauvery basin.

Mr. Yediyurappa is seeking cooperation from TN Chief Minister to proceed with the implementation of Mekedatu project. 

In the letter, CM recalled the modified order of the Supreme Court on February 16, 2018, allowing Karnataka to generate 400 MW of power and utilize an additional 4.75 tmc of water for meeting drinking water and domestic water needs of the people of Karnataka, including Bengaluru city.