Minister says if the state government utilises water resources in the area, Bangalore can get 9.5 TMC ft of water.
The state government has directed the water disputes legal cell to file an “original” suit before the Supreme Court, challenging Tamil Nadu government’s decision to expand the scope of the Hogenakkal drinking water project.
Replying to a question raised by BJP MLC Ashwath Narayana in the legislative council, water resources minister Basavaraj Bommai said he would consult senior jurist FS Nariman at the earliest to take up the legal course against Tamil Nadu government’s move.
Narayana drew the government’s attention to the fact that Tamil Nadu government was coming up with tourism projects on the land within the Karnataka border near the Hogenakkal and Nadugudde region.
Narayana said: “During President’s Rule in Karnataka in 2008, the Tamil Nadu government sought permission from the Union government to come up with the project. Despite knowing the developments, officials of the Karnataka government’s revenue, tourism and water resources departments remained silent. The areas fall under Karnataka police limits; all law and order issues in the area are referred to Karnataka police by their Tamil Nadu counterparts. But it did not stop them from starting the project in the area.”
Bommai reacted: “Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have a 67-km-long common border in the area. There are many islands in the region. The Karnataka government has been urging the Union government and Survey of India to take up a joint survey in the area so that the dispute is settled. To conduct a joint survey, the consent of both the parties is necessary but Tamil Nadu government did not give its consent for the survey. We have written letters to the chief secretary of Tamil Nadu government, but received no response.”
Commenting on extending the Hogenakkal drinking water project to supply water to Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, the minister said: “Since the Centre failed to intervene in the issue, we are forced to take legal course. The government has instructed water disputes legal team to file an original suit before the SC.”
He added that if the state government utilises water resources in the area, Bangalore could get 9.5TMC of water.
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