Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that his government will go ahead with the Mekedatu reservoir project across the Cauvery river in Ramanagara district, however, for now, the third wave of COVID-19 remains the top priority.
Furthermore, he stressed that the health of the people of Karnataka is the “primary duty” of the state government.
At a press conference in Bengaluru, CM Bommai said, “When it comes to issues related to land and water, all political parties have worked together. Our government is committed to adopt the project to take all political parties into confidence on the Mekedatu issue, but for now, the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has covered the state of Karnataka and Bengaluru in particular. We need to take all necessary measures to curb COVID-19,” the chief minister said.
“The health of the people of Karnataka and Bengaluru is our primary duty. Thus there is a need to show commitment to perform this duty. The government seeks everyone’s cooperation without violating the law governing the pandemic.”
Mekedatu is close to the Tamil Nadu border and Karnataka is planning to build a dam there to conserve water during floods. It aims to bring the same water to Bengaluru, about 200 km away, and to irrigate dry land in some districts of the old Mysore region. Tamil Nadu has already moved against the proposed dam and the matter is being heard by the Supreme Court.
Bommai has long said that his government is committed to implementing the Mekedatu project.
Further, Bommai said that his government is “under pressure” to initiate action against Congress leaders and stop the Mekedatu padayatra from entering Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra on Tuesday said that the government will take appropriate action at an appropriate time. “We will take appropriate action at the appropriate time. It’s not like we’re letting them go. We are taking action. We are registering cases,” Gyanendra said while briefing reporters on the virtual meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on COVID-19. The minister alleged that people participating in the ‘padayatra’ were getting infected. While many did not get themselves tested despite the symptoms.
Asked why the government gave permission to the Congress and allowed them to continue their march, Gyanendra said no permission was given to them. “The Congress is a responsible opposition party, which ran the government in the past. We are waiting for them to stop or postpone the padyatra on their own,” Gyanendra said.
He refused to appeal to the Congress to withdraw his march. “We have not thought of appealing to them. They have to make up their mind and stop the padyatra,” the minister said.
He accused former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who had allegedly asked the BJP government why it had not implemented the project when it was in power from 2008 to 2013, misleading people on the Mekedatu issue. “During that time (from 2008 to 2013), the matter was pending before the Cauvery Water Tribunal and the court. After 2013, after Siddaramaiah took over, all pending cases were settled. He could have done it after that.” He alleged that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government behaved irresponsibly and did nothing except take five years to get the feasibility report.
Claiming that the previous Congress government had done injustice to the people of Karnataka with regard to the Mekedatu issue, the minister demanded that Siddaramaiah apologize for it. Asked what has been done in the last two-and-a-half years, Gyanendra said the BJP government lifted the stay in July.
“When we did almost everything (for the Mekedatu project), these people took out a padyatra,” the minister said. Hitting out at the Congress, the minister said the project is a sensitive issue affecting the inter-state relations between Karnataka and the state. Tamil Nadu.
“This is a sensitive issue. Tamil Nadu will not sit idle. Padyatra, Congress has tried to sabotage the project.”
However, the Tamil Nadu government is opposing the project, saying it would hurt the interests of their state, especially the farmers.
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday questioned the ruling BJP as to why it was unable to initiate action against Congress leaders who took out padyatras despite curfew orders.
(input from agencies)
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