No compromise on Cauvery: Karnataka's Min

Karnataka government will not compromise on protecting the state's interest in implementing the Mekedatu Hydel Project across the Cauvery, a state minister said today.
"We will not compromise on protecting the interests of the state with respect to the Cauvery water issue including Mekedatu Hydel Project," Energy Minister D K Shivakumar told reporters here.
Shivakumar was responding to former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader in Legislative Council D V Sadananda Gowda's charge that Congress was trying to sacrifice the interests of the state to woo voters in Tamil Nadu.
Gowda had taken exception to the reported statement of Shivakumar during an election campaign in Tamil Nadu that Karnataka had dropped plans to implement Mekedatu hydel project in the wake of the objections by the lower riparian state.

The proposal for taking up the project comprising two generating units with a capacity of 200 MW each has been pending for nearly 15 years.
When Law Minister T B Jayachandra announced last year that the state would take up the project, Tamil Nadu opposed it and even moved to the Supreme Court.

"Until they give us the NOC we are unable to take up the Mekedatu project," Shivakumar said.
Asked about loadshedding in the state, Shivakumar denied any such thing happening but retorted, "Those were due to technical problems."
Shivakumar also said the government has taken all steps to ensure people are not hit by power crisis in summer.

"The government has purchased 650 MW in March last week and generated 450 MW wind energy," he added.
The Minister said the government has met the villagers' demand for ensuring uninterrupted power supply.
"We will continue to supply seven-hour uninterrupted three-phase power to villages where he had promised to do so," he said.