Vijayapura: Extending his full support to the BJP government in implementing the Mekedatu project for providing drinking water facility to Bengaluru and other areas, Former Water Resources Minister and Congress MLA, M. B. Patil has however demanded the Chief Minister, B. S. Yediyurappa to call for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.
Addressing presspersons on Tuesday July 13 he made it clear that Mekedatu is right of Karnataka and therefore Tamil Nadu should not create hurdles in implementing the project. “We don’t need the permission of the TN government for the project”, he said.
Patil said that as per Supreme Court order, Karnataka has to release 177 tmcft of water from Cauvery to Tamil Nadu during normal days which is the only obligation on part of Karnataka.
“TN has to raise objection only if Karnataka fails to adhere to the order and does not release the share of water to TN during normal days. So long Karnataka releases the water, then TN should not object to any water scheme of Karnataka as it is the right of the State here”, Patil asserted.
He said that when he was Water Resources Minister, he had talked about it with senior counsel, Fali Nariman who was representing Karnataka, and had asked Karnataka to go ahead with the project.
“In fact he had asked what is preventing Karnataka from going ahead with the project as the project comes within the legal right of Karnataka”, he said.
Claiming that the project is in a way helpful to TN also, he said that during the water crises, Karnataka can release water from Mekedatu to TN on humanitarian ground.
To a question, he said that though no political pressure needed to be exerted on TN in the matter, however he felt that even if the Centre intervenes in the matter to resolve the issue, then there is no harm in it.
When asked whether Congress will try to convince the TN government as the party has an alliance with DMK in Tamil Nadu government, he said that it is possible to ask Congress leader Dinesh Gudurao who is in-charge of South, to convince TN Chief Minister M. K. Stalin to allow Karnataka to go ahead with the project.
