State wants Centre to intervene

Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Monday that he will meet Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in this regard on Tuesday in Delhi.

“The neighbouring State has taken some concrete steps to implement the project. It has made budgetary allocation for it. Moreover, TN has not responded to Karnataka’s recent offer of the Chief Secretary level talks on the issue,” he said.

He alleged that the TN Government has changed the original project plan. It has made a provision to utilise 2.4 tmc ft Cauvery river water against the original plan of 1.7 tmc ft under the project. The total number of beneficiaries under the revised plan is 45 lakh people, 15 lakh more compared to the original plan, he alleged.

“Karnataka will never oppose a drinking water project. However, the TN’s project is against the interest of the State. It will occupy Karnataka boundary and lead to inter-basin transfer. Hence, we are opposing the project,” he said.