Karnataka has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convene a meeting of the chief ministers of the two Cauvery riparian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to find out an amicable solution to the river dispute.
Revealing this at Krishnarajasagar (KRS) Brindavan Gardens after performing the Cauvery pooja, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said issues like the Hogenkal project undertaken by Tamil Nadu for Meeting drinking water needs of that state and the execution of the Kabini II stage project in Karnataka were caught in confusion.
“These two issues need to be examined together,” he told the press.
He pointed out that according to a Supreme Court decision there should no obstacles for drinking water projects. On the other hand, the Cauvery issue was before the tribunal. As these two projects are important for both the states, they need to be discussed and resolved amicably.
“Therefore, I have requested the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of the two Chief Ministers of the state for overcoming the hassles and finding an amicable solution. If the prime minister convenes the meeting, I will discuss it in a free and frank manner,” Yeddyurappa said.
He said modernisation of the KRS and its canals will be taken up as part of developing Mandya and Mysore districts. Earlier, irrigation minister Basavaraj Bommai said the state government had decided to modernise the KRS dam and its canals.
More From This Section
“The KRS was built 75 years ago. The life of the sluice gates was generally between 30-35 years. However, the original gates were still in operation.
Similarly, the achkat areas like the Maharaja’s achkat were facing problems. They need to be modernised with the latest technology,” he said while appealing to the farmers to use water with maximum efficiency.
Yeddyurappa said the government had made available Rs 140 crore to the deputy commissioners to meet the needs of flood-hit areas in the state. So far, 18 people had lost their lives and their kin will be paid Rs 1 lakh each. Some 7,541 people were in relief centres. Rehabilitation work would be taken up wherever necessary. If need be more funds would be release, he assured.
Free supply of power to the farmers would impose a burden of Rs 2,050 crore on the exchequer. Apart from this, the BJP government was offering loans to the farmers at 3 per cent interest.
Similarly, the issue relating to the payment of Rs 160 to the sugarcane growers had been resolved. The factory managements had agreed to pay the amount in two installments of Rs 100 and Rs 40, he said reiterating that his Government was committed for farmers’ welfare.
He also stated that Rs 20 crore had been sanctioned for Dasara celebrations in Mysore and revive its old glory.
He paid tributes to the far-sighted Sir M V Visvesvaraya, the engineer statesman who built the KRS and expressed his happiness that KRS and other reservoirs had filled up, though with late rains, fulfilling his ardent prayers.