BENGALURU: Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Saturday said the State was seeking only its allocated share of Cauvery water and not 'even a single drop' more from Tamil Nadu, while reiterating that the proposed Mekedatu project would benefit both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu farmers.
He was reacting to the fresh stance of the Tamil Nadu government to oppose the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project.
Addressing reporters here, Reddy said the issue could be resolved through dialogue, and Karnataka is ready for discussions with Tamil Nadu. "We do not want even a single drop more than what has been allocated to Karnataka. We only want the water that has been allocated to us," Reddy said, referring to discussions held recently with the Union Water Resource Ministry on inter-state water issues.
He said Tamil Nadu had opposed the project despite its potential benefits. "If the Mekedatu dam had already been built, and if there had been water stored there, we could have released water to Tamil Nadu even now, despite the lack of rainfall. That would have helped us meet drinking water requirements as well. The monthly allocations that have to be released would have benefited Tamil Nadu's farmers. By opposing the project, they are actually causing difficulties for their own farmers," he added.
Maintaining that the project was aimed at water storage and not irrigation, the minister said, "This is our ambitious project. It is simply a storage dam. It will provide Bengaluru with 4.75 TMC of drinking water. It will not provide any water for irrigation. It will also generate around 400 MW of electricity. Would it not be better if neighbouring states resolved these issues amicably?" he asked.
Referring to Tamil Nadu's recent Assembly resolution against Mekedatu, Reddy said legal challenges mounted against the project had not succeeded.
"It would be better if the matter is resolved through discussions. What happens if everything goes to court? It drags on for years. Look at the Krishna water dispute. The final notification has not been issued even after 13-14 years. Three states have gone to court. At this pace, it may take until 2050 to conclude," he said.