Karnataka to proceed with Mekedatu project, says DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has said the state will proceed with its proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river. He said a Supreme Court ruling permits Karnataka to build the project at its own site, subject to releasing 177 thousand million cubic feet of water to Tamil Nadu. His remarks followed a letter from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre not to grant clearances without the consent of other Cauvery basin states. Shivakumar said Karnataka had identified about 5,400 acres for compensatory afforestation and would submit the required application after completing the process. He invited Tamil Nadu to send a delegation to review the project and said Karnataka would honour its water-sharing obligations. The dispute reflects continuing tensions between the states over the Cauvery. The statements on the court ruling and project conditions are attributed to Shivakumar. Source: The Economic Times