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Mekedatu project
Why is it in news?
- The Central government has given its preliminary nod to the controversial Mekedatu project's pre-feasibiliy report.
- The Central Water Commission approved the pre-feasibility report submitted by the state government
- The Commission has asked the Karnataka government to formulate a detailed project report for the Mekedatu Project.
- The CWC has also stated that the Karnataka government must provide Tamil Nadu with the required water from River Cauvery as prescribed by the Supreme Court.
What is the Mekedatu project?
- Mekedatu is a deep gorge situated about 100 km away from Bengaluru city in Ramanagara district.
- In 2013, then Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra announced the construction of a multi-purpose balancing reservoir project over the Mekedatu.
- The Rs 5,912-crore project aims to alleviate the drinking water problems of Bengaluru and Ramanagara district.
- It is also expected to generate hydro-electricity to meet the power needs of the state.
- The government at the time said that the reservoir would have a capacity of 66 tmcft, after the release of water to Tamil Nadu.
Why the controversy?
- Soon after the announcement was made, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa wrote to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to not approve the project.
- Jayalalithaa had told the Centre that the absence of a body to monitor the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal's order makes the project unfeasible for lower riparian states like Tamil Nadu.
- Tamil Nadu’s stand was that the project would not only impede the water available to farmers in the state but it would also go against the mandate that the total quantity of water must be for consumptive use, as prescribed by the Tribunal.
- In February 2017, the former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his cabinet approved the project's commencement.
- In October 2017, the Karnataka government submitted a pre-feasibility report to the Central Water Commission (CWC), which was promptly returned by the body citing shortcomings.
- On February 16, 2018, the Supreme Court ordered the setting up of a scheme that would oversee the implementation of its orders as well as arbitrate on any future water disputes between the two states.
- With one of Tamil Nadu's major contentions being settled, the Chief Minister Palaniswami has contended that Karnataka approaching the CWC without the concurrence of Tamil Nadu was in violation of the apex court verdict.
Source
The Hindu