BENGALURU: Tamil Nadu which has implemented several irrigation projects in the guise of drinking water projects has no moral right to object to the Mekedatu balancing reservoir meant for drinking water project planned by Karnataka on its territory, asserted former prime minister HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday.
Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha while talking over linking of rivers announced by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in her budget on February 1, Gowda stated, “After the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link project and lifting water from Mettur to the benefit of Salem district in the guise of drinking water, they have no moral right to object the Mekedatu project.”
Taking note of the Padayatra taken out by the Congress in Karnataka demanding for the clearance by the Centre he observed that the Congress and the BJP have been fighting each other whereas the AIDMK and DMK have been united for the cause of their state. He alleged that Tamil Nadu has been diverting the river water to the new arid zones although it is meant for the delta area as it is against the 2007 Cauvery Water Tribunal verdict. “The verdict has no bearing on Karnataka constructing a reservoir for the drinking water purpose on its territory,” he pointed out.
“I am alone and has been battling over the issues of irrigation for over fifty years in the interest of Karnataka. When Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister the Centre had provided Rs 2,000 crore to construct a project at Hogenekal to serve the purpose of drinking water to six districts,” he claimed.
He also blasted the Centre as it has not declared the Upper Bhadra and third phase of Upper Krishna as national projects yet. He wanted the leader of the floor Piyush Goyal to take note of the issue and convey it to the Narendra Modi led BJP government at the Centre. The RS members from Karnataka Jairam Ramesh and Dr L Hanumanthaiah backed Gowda.
Bats for Bengaluru:
The Supreme Court had allocated 4.7 TMC consumptive drinking water to Bangalore city based on its population, as per the 2011 Census, which was 85 lakhs. But, the population of Bangalore alone is 130 lakhs.
“We have been utilising 50 TMC ft water out of 284 allocated for the irrigation purpose,” Gowda pointed out. Three of your (BJP) MPs have won from Bengaluru City, not just one but three seats. But they can’t do anything here,” he chided.
“Supreme Court had allocated 284 TMC ft to Karnataka and 400 TMC ft to Tamil Nadu. There is an acute problem with the availability of drinking water in Bangaluru. Since the city will not come under the purview of the catchment area, not taken into consideration to allocate drinking water for the one-third Bangaluru city,” he explained.
Backed Karunanidhi
“Late Karunanidhi was supporting the UF Government when I was the Prime Minister for eleven months. I discussed with him that the government itself was going to fund the construction of the project and whenever there would be any shortage to Tamil Nadu, we would not come in the way of the flow, we will allow the water; and, when Tamil Nadu would not require water, we would use the water for drinking purposes and some portion might be utilised for power generation,” he said.
