Chief Minister DK Shivakumar
Mandya : Karnataka has identified 2,500 acres of alternative land, including forest land, to secure clearances for the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir across Cauvery, chief minister DK Shivakumar said Saturday, indicating that the project was moving towards implementation. It is also preparing to acquire around 500 acres of private land from farmers for the project. He said the proposed reservoir would store 66 tmc ft of water, helping Karnataka manage water scarcity. The state is required to release 177 tmc of Cauvery water downstream. “We had initially offered to provide 100 acres.
Once we do that, they should grant the necessary permission,” Shivakumar said. The project will help us manage such situations,” he said. They (heavy industries department) have now said they need more land.
The govt will upload details of the land on the forest clearance portal to obtain approvals. “We will upload all the details of the land being provided, including the land particulars. “At present, we keep receiving directions on how many cusecs of water we should release and when. Shivakumar also rejected Union minister HD Kumaraswamy ’s allegation that the govt was unwilling to provide land for the proposed Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) testing facility in Mandya. We will certainly provide it,” he added.