Dear Editor,
From the very beginning, 2024 has witnessed water scarcity of unprecedented scale in Bengaluru. Suppliers of tankers load of water have been exploiting the situation and they are making huge earnings taking undue advantage of the water scarcity. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar hails from Kanakapura Constituency. Mekedatu Project is his brainchild. If Mekedatu dam across the river Cauvery is given a ‘go ahead’, the drinking water problem in and around Bengaluru can be alleviated to a large extent. Karnataka has received raw deal both when the Congress was in power at centre and BJP is at centre. There were double engine government both when the Centre was ruled by Congress and by BJP. The Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Cauvery with regard to the release of Cauvery water dates back to 1890. The dispute was handled by the noted advocate late Fali Nariman. He could not convince the Supreme Court or Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) of Karnataka’s inability to the release of water to the extent of the quantum prescribed by the CWRC. CWRC was created on June 1, 2018. Government of India constituted Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990 to adjudicate the water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and Puducherry. In the recent past, D.K. Shivakumar conducted Pada Yatra pressing for sanction of Mekedatu Project. Now Congress and DMK are the constituents of I.N.D.I alliance. DMK has shown in its manifesto that it would halt any move for Mekedatu project. Congress has not yet broken its silence on the promise made by DMK in its manifesto. In the same vein, Congress has not made any mention of Mekedatu project in its manifesto. Congress has not made any promise that it would accord sanction for Mekedatu project. If I.N.D.I alliance wins, which is a distant possibility as seen from the opinion polls released from various agencies, even then the strength of the Congress members would be higher than that of DMK members. But the silence of Congress party on the Mekedatu Project is disquieting. BJP is also found wanting in making any mention of Mekedatu project. Mekedatu issue is used only for political purposes. The interest of the people of Karnataka has taken back seat. Even from political point of view, both BJP and Congress are obligated to come to the rescue of Karnataka people in times of their distress. Because Tamil Nadu people have not shown inclination to instal either the Congress or BJP government in Tamil Nadu. People of Karnataka have many times elected Congress and BJP. Naturally, the centre irrespective of the BJP or Congress in power should be disposed more towards Karnataka. This shows that the Karnataka leaders of both the parties are high on promise and short on delivery. Karnataka is the gateway of BJP in South India. So far, no South Indian state but Karnataka has allowed the BJP to form government in Karnataka. BJP should steal the show, promise to get sanction for Mekedatu project in Karnataka if BJP is returned to power at centre. Complacency among BJP leaders with respect to Mekedatu Project is writ large on their face in the face of opinion polls coming in favour of them that NDA would stage a come back to power. NDA under the leadership of Modi has to come back to power. In return the Modi government should accord sanction for Mekedatu Project. It is foreknown that if sanction is accorded, the Tamil Nadu government moves the Supreme Court. What happens in the court is a different matter. No intended projects can be abandoned anticipating that political rivals take the issue to the courts. Who knows, the judgements may come in favour of the projects also.
K.V. Seetharamaiah