Karnataka bears no hatred towards the people of Tamil Nadu, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation D.K. Shivakumar said on Thursday and added that the people of Tamil Nadu should be “warm-hearted” on the issue of Mekedatu drinking water project.
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“Tamil Nadu will not face any problem because of the Mekedatu project. We have no hatred towards Tamil Nadu, nor do we have any intention of picking up a fight,” Mr. Shivakumar told reporters here. “Enough of running around the courts. We should cordially cooperate to implement the project that will help solve the drinking water problem in Karnataka and benefit farmers in Tamil Nadu.”
D.K. Shivakumar | Photo Credit:
His response came a day after Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan condemned the earlier statement of Mr. Shivakumar as showing “aggressive attitude towards neighbouring States within days after assuming power”.
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‘Will benefit T.N. too’
Mr. Shivakumar said that though Mekedatu was Karnataka’s project, it would benefit Tamil Nadu. “The project will only impound water that is going to the sea and help people in the Cauvery catchment area to utilise it. The keys of reservoirs across the Cauvery are with the Centre, which will decide the quantum of water to be released.”
He said that though the State government kept aside ₹1,000 crore towards the project after the Congress held a padayatra, the money had not been utilised.
Tamil Nadu need not be anxious about the project, he said. “The court has ordered that we can conserve water and supply it for drinking water purposes. So, there is no need to be anxious about the project,” he said.