Centre politicising drinking water issues: K’taka Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Water Resources N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Thursday accused the Union government of politicising drinking water issues and alleged that it was delaying key projects such as Mekedatu and Mahadayi despite the state’s pressing water requirements.
Speaking after inaugurating the release of M.K. Venkataramu’s book, ‘The Evergreen Cauvery Conflict’, at Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru, the Minister said the Centre was not paying adequate attention to Karnataka’s concerns over drinking water projects.
The event was organised by the Cauvery River Protection Committee, Kuvempu Vishwa Manava Kshema Abhivruddhi Trust and Vismaya Book House.
Cheluvarayaswamy said the Supreme Court had ruled that other states could not raise objections to drinking water projects. However, he alleged that the Centre was yet to grant forest clearance for the Mahadayi project due to pressure from Goa.
He said he had also appealed to Union Ministers to facilitate the implementation of the Mahadayi project and urged the Centre to take the state’s drinking water needs seriously.
Regarding the Cauvery water dispute, Cheluvarayaswamy said a petition had already been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the orders of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directing Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu.
He said officials were working towards filing a review petition to bring the state’s difficulties to the attention of the court once again.
On the Mekedatu project, the Minister said all relevant issues had been presented before the Central Water Commission (CWC).
He said 2,500 hectares had already been identified for the project, while the identification of another 2,500 hectares would be finalised.
Cheluvarayaswamy maintained that the preparation and approval of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) had no connection with forest clearance and said the state government was exerting considerable pressure on the Centre to approve the DPR.
He added that the Supreme Court had issued an order in Karnataka’s favour, but the Centre was still delaying the process without justification.
The Minister said the BJP-led Union government had benefited considerably from Karnataka, which has a significant number of BJP MPs, compared with Tamil Nadu.
He expressed confidence that BJP MPs from Karnataka would join hands with the state government to address the drinking water crisis and help realise the Mekedatu project, irrespective of political differences.
He also said the state would continue working to advance its irrigation projects by seeking guidance from senior engineers and experts who had contributed to efforts concerning the Cauvery River.
Cheluvarayaswamy also expressed confidence that the late Kannada literary icon Kuvempu would receive the Bharat Ratna posthumously.
He said it was difficult for the country to produce another personality of Kuvempu’s stature and described it as a privilege to be born in the land where the celebrated writer was born.
The Minister said the Karnataka government had already written to the Centre requesting the conferment of the Bharat Ratna on Kuvempu.
During the programme, two books, ‘Sevapatha’ and ‘From Mangala to Manchester’, authored by T. Thimmegowda, retired founding managing director of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam, were also released.
The emblem of the association of former presidents and office-bearers of the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association was unveiled on the occasion.
Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math seer Sri Sri Sri Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji, Madara Channayya Gurupeetha seer Sri Basavamurthy Madara Channayya Swamiji, retired Supreme Court judge V. Gopala Gowda, state vice-chairman of the Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee Dinesh Gooligowda, Cauvery River Protection Committee president H.K. Ramu, former MLC A. Devegowda and Professor M. Krishnegowda, among others, attended the programme.
