<p>Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said he will convene an all-party meeting to discuss the way forward on the Mekedatu project and told the Assembly that negotiating with Tamil Nadu is not an option for Karnataka. </p>.<p>“I’m calling an all-party meeting in a week’s time,” Bommai said during a debate on the 2022-23 budget. “The resolution of the all-party meeting will be conveyed to the Centre and I will go [to New Delhi] myself. We will make all efforts to get the detailed project report (DPR) approved.”</p>.<p>Bommai was responding to Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah who said the budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the Mekedatu project may not mean much if the necessary clearances are not granted by the Centre. He referred to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s statement last week that the Centre can only facilitate talks between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/karnataka-allotting-money-for-mekedatu-only-with-an-eye-on-elections-says-tamil-nadu-1088321.html" target="_blank">Karnataka allotting money for Mekedatu only with an eye on elections, says Tamil Nadu</a></strong></p>.<p>“You should have condemned the statement. It’s clear that the Centre is in no mood to help Karnataka. My fear is the Centre may not grant the environmental clearance,” Siddaramaiah said, asserting that Tamil Nadu had no right to oppose the project as there is no legal dispute involved. </p>.<p>Law Minister J C Madhuswamy contested this claim. “How can you say there’s no dispute? Sharing of surplus [Cauvery] water is still under challenge, including Bengaluru’s sewage,” he said.</p>.<p>Bommai intervened and laid out the current status. “This was first a power dam in 1996. Four hydroelectric projects were planned and they didn’t take off. By the time the DPR was ready, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had come into existence. Now, the DPR is before the CWMA,” he said.</p>.<p>“The second issue is the environmental clearance for which terms of reference have to be fixed. In all this, Tamil Nadu has filed a miscellaneous appeal before the SC,” Bommai explained. He said Karnataka had approached the NGT and got a stay order by its Chennai bench vacated. “This has also been challenged in the SC.”</p>.<p>The CM maintained Karnataka's stand that the state's responsibility ends after releasing Tamil Nadu's share of water. "Negotiation is not an option before us. The first priority is to get the DPR approved," he said, adding that the project will neither "harm nor injure" the neighbouring state.</p>.<p>It was only last week that the Congress concluded its foot march demanding the implementation of the Mekedatu project.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said he will convene an all-party meeting to discuss the way forward on the Mekedatu project and told the Assembly that negotiating with Tamil Nadu is not an option for Karnataka. </p>.<p>“I’m calling an all-party meeting in a week’s time,” Bommai said during a debate on the 2022-23 budget. “The resolution of the all-party meeting will be conveyed to the Centre and I will go [to New Delhi] myself. We will make all efforts to get the detailed project report (DPR) approved.”</p>.<p>Bommai was responding to Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah who said the budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the Mekedatu project may not mean much if the necessary clearances are not granted by the Centre. He referred to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s statement last week that the Centre can only facilitate talks between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/karnataka-allotting-money-for-mekedatu-only-with-an-eye-on-elections-says-tamil-nadu-1088321.html" target="_blank">Karnataka allotting money for Mekedatu only with an eye on elections, says Tamil Nadu</a></strong></p>.<p>“You should have condemned the statement. It’s clear that the Centre is in no mood to help Karnataka. My fear is the Centre may not grant the environmental clearance,” Siddaramaiah said, asserting that Tamil Nadu had no right to oppose the project as there is no legal dispute involved. </p>.<p>Law Minister J C Madhuswamy contested this claim. “How can you say there’s no dispute? Sharing of surplus [Cauvery] water is still under challenge, including Bengaluru’s sewage,” he said.</p>.<p>Bommai intervened and laid out the current status. “This was first a power dam in 1996. Four hydroelectric projects were planned and they didn’t take off. By the time the DPR was ready, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had come into existence. Now, the DPR is before the CWMA,” he said.</p>.<p>“The second issue is the environmental clearance for which terms of reference have to be fixed. In all this, Tamil Nadu has filed a miscellaneous appeal before the SC,” Bommai explained. He said Karnataka had approached the NGT and got a stay order by its Chennai bench vacated. “This has also been challenged in the SC.”</p>.<p>The CM maintained Karnataka's stand that the state's responsibility ends after releasing Tamil Nadu's share of water. "Negotiation is not an option before us. The first priority is to get the DPR approved," he said, adding that the project will neither "harm nor injure" the neighbouring state.</p>.<p>It was only last week that the Congress concluded its foot march demanding the implementation of the Mekedatu project.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
