Mandya: Union minister H. D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to extend its cooperation to the proposed Mekedatu Project, expressing disappointment over its continued opposition to the scheme.
Speaking to reporters in Mandya, Kumaraswamy said the project has been conceived primarily to meet the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru and surrounding regions. He maintained that Tamil Nadu should support the initiative as it is aimed at addressing the growing water needs of millions of people.
The Union minister said it was inappropriate for political parties to oppose the project for political considerations or prestige issues. Stressing the need for a long-term solution to the Cauvery water dispute, he noted that the river-sharing issue has remained unresolved for more than five decades.
Kumaraswamy claimed that Karnataka has, on several occasions during years of good rainfall, released more water to Tamil Nadu than the quantity prescribed by the tribunal. However, he argued that demands for additional water releases are unreasonable when reservoirs in Karnataka are yet to reach adequate storage levels.
He said decisions relating to the Cauvery dispute should be based on mutual cooperation, ground realities and the interests of people in both states.
The Mekedatu project has remained a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with the latter raising concerns over its potential impact on downstream water availability in the Cauvery basin.
