BENGALURU: Chief minister D K Shivakumar on Friday defended the proposed Mekedatu reservoir after the Centre returned the project’s detailed report for revisions, saying the scheme would primarily serve drinking water and power needs and would not be used for irrigation.
Event Context
Chaudhary, in his Lok Sabha reply, referred to the Supreme Court’s July 16, 2018 judgment in the Cauvery water dispute. Chaudhary said the judgment did not require Karnataka to obtain the consent of Tamil Nadu, Kerala or the Union Territory of Puducherry before constructing a structure across the Cauvery.
“There is no mention that state of Karnataka has to obtain the consent of the other riparian states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala and UT of Puducherry, to construct any kind of structure across river Cauvery,” Chaudhary said.
Chaudhary also cited the Supreme Court’s treatment of Clause XVIII of the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award. The provision allows a state to regulate the use of water within its boundaries and enjoy its benefits, provided that such use is not inconsistent with the tribunal’s order.
Chaudhary said the Centre had subsequently notified the Cauvery Water Management Scheme in June 2018 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act. The scheme established the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to implement the tribunal’s decision as modified by the Supreme Court.
Match Outlook
“Mekedatu will benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka. We will use it only for generating 400 MW of electricity and for drinking water. The 66 TMC of water will not be used for irrigation under any circumstances,” Shivakumar said.
Shivakumar also rejected reports that the project report had been turned down, saying the Centre had instead sought additional information. “It is not a rejection. They have sought clarification on some issues, and we will provide those clarifications shortly,” he said.
The Centre’s position was conveyed to Parliament by Raj Bhushan Chaudhary, minister of state for Jal Shakti, in a Lok Sabha reply on Wednesday. Chaudhary said the detailed project report submitted by Karnataka in 2019 had been returned to the project authority with instructions to submit a revised report complying with the Cauvery water disputes tribunal award and current central water commission guidelines.
Chaudhary said the Union government had also taken note of representations from Tamil Nadu and farmers’ organisations expressing concerns about the proposed reservoir’s possible impact on the Cauvery delta, including drinking water availability in other districts.
“Representations received in respect of any project are examined, as appropriate, during appraisal of the project in accordance with the applicable procedure,” Chaudhary said.
The exchange comes as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu remain at odds over the Mekedatu project. Shivakumar said Karnataka would continue to pursue the project within the law despite a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly against it.
“That is their politics. I will not question it. We will resolve matters in the interest of our state and within the legal framework,” Shivakumar said.
Shivakumar said the reservoir could also help Karnataka meet its obligations to Tamil Nadu when managing the shared river water becomes difficult. Shivakumar said Karnataka would comply with the Supreme Court’s direction concerning the release of 177 TMC to Tamil Nadu and had no objection to following the court’s orders.
Shivakumar also said the Supreme Court had allowed scope for a balancing reservoir and that the Union government had addressed the issue in the Rajya Sabha.
