From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 20: Karnataka’s proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border is well within the Cauvery river water disputes tribunal order, claimed the State Water Resources Minister M B Patil.

The State Government is not violating any of the Tribunal awards. The State is bound to release 192 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu in an average year. Beyond the 192 TMC, any surplus water could be utilised by Karnataka, the minister said.

He mentioned that the State Government has asked for Express of Interest (EoI) for carrying out the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed reservoir at Mekedatu, he said explaining that the project when implemented would help in meeting the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and other parts of the Cauvery delta region in the State.

''We do not have drinking water for the Old Mysore Cauvery Delta region and two-thirds of Bengaluru city does not have drinking water," he said and mentioned that the State Government was well within its rights to use all available means to solve the drinking water needs of people.

The last date for submitting expression of interest has been extended till the end of December, he said.

Tamil Nadu government has urged the Centre to advise Karnataka not to take up any irrigation, hydro power projects, including the proposed Mekedatu drinking water project in Cauvery basin as it "violates" the final orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and affects the interest of its farmers.

Farmers in the delta districts of Tamil Nadu have called for protests including road and rail blockade besides a total bandh in the region on November 22.