Union minister Shekhawat has promised early approval for Mekedatu: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has assured him of including Mekedatu’s Detail Project Report proposal in the agenda of the next Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting.

The CM, who held a two-hour-long meeting with Shekhawat on the issue, told reporters that, “I have appraised the Union minister of need for the drinking water project and sought an early approval for the DPR. The minister gave a positive response to the state’s plea.”

“I hope the Centre will approve the project soon to enable the state to take it up at the earliest,” he said.

The state government has already submitted the Mekedatu DPR to the Jal Shakti Ministry. Shekhawat in his reply to a question in the Parliament recently had said that since the project falls under the inter-state river category, the CWMA’s permission is required and consensus among the CWMA member-states must for final approval of the DPR.

Read | Will not allow Karnataka to proceed with Mekedatu: Tamil Nadu

The CM said that he raised objections to Tamil Nadu’s proposal on Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link project for drawing the surplus 45 tmcft water annually from Cauvery river.

Shekhawat also promised to address the long-pending demand for national project status to Upper Bhadra. After getting the approval from the Union Ministry of Finance, it will go to the Union Cabinet for final approval, CM said quoting the Union minister.

On the state’s request to include Yettinahole project as an externally-aided scheme and include the same in the centrally sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission, the Union Minister asked the CM to submit a detailed proposal.

Bommai also said that the Union Minister assured early notification of the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal Final award. On the Kalasa-Banduri project the Union minister assured to approve the detailed project report at the earliest.