CHENNAI: The Karnataka government has submitted a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed Mekedatu dam to the Central Government, with the report stating that around 8.90 lakh trees would be felled for the project, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
Karnataka has proposed constructing a 67-TMC dam across the River Cauvery at Mekedatu, a move that has been strongly opposed by the Tamil Nadu government.
The revised DPR reportedly contains details of the forest land that would be submerged, the number of trees that would be affected and the compensatory measures proposed by the Karnataka government.
The Karnataka government had first submitted the DPR for the Mekedatu project to the Central government around five years ago. The project was then estimated to cost Rs 9,000 crore and was proposed to meet Bengaluru's drinking water requirements and generate 400 MW of electricity.
However, the Central government returned the earlier DPR citing technical issues and asked Karnataka to submit a revised report. Against this backdrop, the Karnataka government has now resubmitted the revised DPR.
The proposed project involves constructing a dam with a storage capacity of 67 TMC. The report states that around 4.75 TMC of water from the project would be utilised to meet Bengaluru's drinking water requirements.
According to the revised DPR, around 12,500 acres of forest land would be submerged once the Mekedatu project is implemented. As a compensatory measure, around 20,000 acres of land in areas including Dakshina Kannada and Shivamogga have reportedly been identified for allocation to the Forest Department.
The project is also expected to have a significant impact on the forest cover in the Mekedatu region. Around 8.90 lakh trees are proposed to be felled as part of the project.
Of these, around seven lakh are classified as small trees, while around one lakh are categorised as large trees. The remaining trees are also expected to be affected by the project and associated construction activities.
The complete details contained in the revised DPR have not yet been made public.
The Mekedatu project was originally proposed with an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore. Karnataka has maintained that the project would primarily help meet the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru while also generating 400 MW of electricity.
The proposed dam across the River Cauvery has, however, remained a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the project, citing concerns over its impact on the State's share of Cauvery water.
Karnataka has continued to push for the project, with the revised DPR now submitted to the Central Government for further consideration.
Karnataka Irrigation Minister Cheluvarayaswamy has confirmed that the revised DPR has been submitted to the Central Government. The State government has reportedly set a target of laying the foundation stone for the Mekedatu project by August 2027.
The Karnataka government has already appointed a dedicated office and a team of officials to oversee the project. The team is currently carrying out work related to the implementation of the proposed dam.
The revised DPR will now be examined by the Central Government before further decisions are taken on the project. Meanwhile, the proposed submergence of forest land and the felling of nearly 8.90 lakh trees are expected to remain key points of concern as the project moves forward.