CM B S Yediyurappa to chair key meeting on Mekedatu project, says Bommai

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will chair a “crucial” meeting on Thursday to explore legal options after the Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted a committee to visit Mekedatu where Karnataka has proposed to build a reservoir across the Cauvery.

Law Minister Basavaraj Bommai said legal experts and officials will discuss whether the NGT committee was bound by law, adding that measures will be taken to safeguard Karnataka’s interests.

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The Southern Bench of the NGT has decided to set up a committee even though there was no official complaint, Bommai pointed out.

"When we planned the project -- based on the (water sharing) rights of the state -- we also submitted the relevant documents to Supreme Court," he said and added that the Supreme Court was already hearing the case based on a petition filed by Tamil Nadu.

At such a juncture, it is not clear how appropriate or legal the NGT decision is, Bommai said.

Yediyurappa will chair a meeting with advocate general, legal experts and officials to decide on the course of action by the state government.

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Mekedatu is a drinking water project proposed by Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited and has been met with strong opposition from Tamil Nadu since the project was envisaged in 2003. The project is planned at the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathy rivers.

While Karnataka has maintained that the project was to ensure drinking water supply and would use up only the water allocated to Karnataka as per the Cauvery Tribunal award, Tamil Nadu has maintained that it would be against its interest, especially during drought years.