CWC seeks clarifications from Karnataka on Mekedatu project

The Central Water Commission has sought some clarifications from Karnataka on its plan to build a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu at a cost of Rs 5,912 crore.

“The CWC regional office at Bengaluru sought some clarifications on the detailed project report (DPR) submitted by the Karnataka government. The CWC also asked us to send a detailed reply to the Inter-state Water Disputes Division in the Central Water Commission at Delhi.

“We are in the process of preparing a reply and will send it soon,” an official in the
Karnataka government told DH here.

“Since the project is on the Cauvery river, the CWC wanted to know from the Karnataka government whether the project violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) final award. The commission also asked Karnataka whether the construction of a balancing reservoir on Cauvery will stop flow of water to the neighbouring state,” the official added.
 
 As the project also envisages supplying of 16.1 tmcft of drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding towns and villages in the Cauvery basin, the CWC asked the state whether the above quantity of water is well within Karnataka's share as per the allocation made by the CWDT.

Asked about CWC’s queries, Water Resources Minister M B Patil told DH that the government will reply to all questions raised by the CWC and clear its doubts. “The project does not violate the tribunal award,” he added.

Earlier, Karnataka had sent a detailed project report to CWC and sought its approval. However, Tamil Nadu has opposed the project on the grounds that it violates the Cauvery tribunal order.

 Seeking to allay fears on the release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s award, Karnataka said that the proposed
balancing reservoir at Mekedatu will not disrupt the flow of water to the lower riparian state.
The proposed project would have a balancing reservoir with a “gross storage” capacity of 67.14 tmcft and a 400 MW hydro-electric power station.

The project, proposed to be taken up at Mekedatu, which is located around four km from the confluence of the Arkavathi and Cauvery, and 100 km from Bengaluru, would lead to the submerging of 4,716 hectares of forest land.