Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Karnataka will file a suitable reply to the Tamil Nadu Government’s plea to the Supreme Court seeking restraint on discussion on Mekedatu project by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said the Tamil Nadu Government has filed a miscellaneous application and accordingly the Supreme Court has to issue a notice to Karnataka. ‘’We will file a suitable reply promptly and correctly,” said Mr. Bommai.
He said the CWMA was constituted following the directives of the apex court and the authority has the powers not only to ascertain if the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award was being implemented, but also to assess a project or issue clearance for it.
Tamil Nadu moved the apex court on Tuesday seeking directions to the CWMA restraining any discussion on Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project at its meeting scheduled later this month.
This followed reports that the CWMA had secured a favourable legal opinion from the Union Law Ministry on taking up the Mekedatu project for discussion. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed any deliberation on the project while Karnataka has been pressing for it as CWMA’s acceptance was a prerequisite if the DPR was to be considered by the Advisory Committee of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Mr. Bommai is in city to take part in various programmes besides calling on Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swami of Avadhootha Datta Peetha, who celebrated his 80th birthday recently.
On the appointment of Lokayukta to Karnataka, Mr. Bommai said the process was underway and in the final stages and would not take long. However, he did not specify any timeline on when the appointment would be made. The Karnataka Lokayukta post has been vacant since January 27 when Justice P. Vishwanath Shetty completed his tenure.
