Budget: CM asserts govt's commitment to implement Mekedatu, other irrigation projects

Bengaluru: Asserting his government's commitment to implement various irrigation and drinking water projects related to inter-state rivers including Mekedatu over Cauvery, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday in the state Assembly detailed clearances and approvals pending with the Central government.

Presenting the 2024-25 budget in the Assembly, he listed out steps to implement various projects such as Mekedatu, Kalasa-Banduri, Upper Krishna, Upper Bhadra and Yettihanole, among others.

A separate project division and two sub-divisions have already been set up to implement the ambitious Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and drinking water project of the Cauvery River valley, Siddaramaiah said, adding that a survey to identify land that will be submerged under this project and the counting process of trees have already been initiated.

He also said action will be taken on priority to commence work early after obtaining the remaining necessary clearances from the competent authorities.

The Chief Minister said that the Central Water Commission has given clearance to the Detailed Project Report for utilising 3.9 TMC water under the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Diversion Project and the state government has begun the tender process anticipating forest clearance from the National Board for Wildlife.

"However, in the meeting of the National Board for Wildlife headed by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the forest clearance has been deferred," he noted.

He also said that priority will be given to land acquisition resettlement and rehabilitation as well as to complete sub-schemes under North Karnataka's ambitious Upper Krishna Phase-III Project and that all necessary legal measures will be taken up along with pursuing the Central government to notify the final award of Krishna Tribunal-II.

Pointing out that the Central Government had announced grants of Rs 5,300 crore for implementation of the Upper Bhadra Project in its 2023-24 Budget, Siddaramaiah said that no grant has been released so far.

The previous state government congratulated the Prime Minister in its Budget for declaring the Bhadra Project as a National Project, he said.

"However, this has been proved false as the Central Government has not yet declared the project as a national project. Under this project, the State Government is planning to bring about 75,000 acres of land in Chitradurga district under irrigation and pursue with the Central Government to release the grants as announced in its budget to provide benefits to farmers." To address the problem of reduction in water storage capacity of Tungabhadra reservoir due to silt accumulation, and to also fulfil a long-standing demand of farmers of the area, a detailed project report has been prepared for constructing a balancing reservoir near Navali in Koppal district at a cost of Rs 15,600 crore, Siddaramaiah said.

Consultation with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regarding the implementation of the project has been started, he said, adding that priority will be given to the execution of the project.

Further, a pre-commissioning test has been conducted by discharging water to a delivery chamber near Doddanagara under the Yettihanole Integrated Drinking Water Project, he said. Balancing reservoir work will be taken up in the current year along with completing all the lift components under the scheme as well as discharging water into the gravity canal.

The Chief Minister also said a plan to make Brindavan Gardens at the prestigious Krishnarajasagar dam a world-class tourist attraction will be taken up under a public-private partnership.

. A scheme will be implemented under a public-private partnership for installing solar parks in backwaters and lands owned by the Water Resources Department on the lines of Pavagada Solar Parks.

Several lift irrigation projects will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 7,280 crore in the current year. An irrigation potential of 97,698 hectares will be created from these projects.

In the current year, 115 works of lake development, check dam and bridge-cum-barrage at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore will be taken up to ensure an adequate supply of water for drinking purposes, agriculture and industry.

The ongoing 272 tank filling scheme under KC Valley-2nd Phase will be completed in the current year at an estimated cost of Rs 455 crore, Siddaramaiah added.