CM BS Yediyurappa invites Tamil Nadu CM for talks on Mekedatu plan

BENGALURU: CM BS Yediyurappa on Saturday invited his Tamil Nadu counterpart, MK Stalin, for talks on the controversial Cauvery project to build a reservoir at Mekedatu, about 90km from Bengaluru.
Yediyurappa on Saturday wrote a letter to Stalin, suggesting talks to clear Tamil Nadu’s apprehensions about the project and underlining its importance for both states. TN has been opposing the project, claiming it would deny its share of Cauvery water.
Project won’t affect TN farmers: CM
Stalin recently met PM Modi with a request that the project be put on hold. The Karnataka CM said in the letter that it would be in the interest of “all concerned and to have a better relationship between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu if the TN government, in the right spirit, would not oppose implementation of the project.”
The CM informed Stalin the water project is in line with the final orders of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and later modified by the Supreme Court to generate 400 megawatts of power.
The project, set to meet drinking and domestic water needs of Karnataka, including Bengaluru city, in no way affects the interests of farming communities of TN, he said. He sought to draw Stalin’s attention to many projects taken up by TN in the Cauvery sub-basin without holding negotiations with Karnataka. While TN has filed an application before SC against the project, Karnataka sought the Centre's nod for terms of reference to conduct an environmental impact assessment study, Yediyurappa said.