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Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said the proposed Mekedatu project is important not only for the state but also for Tamil Nadu, asserting that every drop of water from the project would benefit farmers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Shivakumar said, "The Mekedatu project is an important project not only for Karnataka, but for Tamil Nadu as well." "While walking to the meeting, senior leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu ji told me that we need to solve the Cauvery water issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Let me assure you, every drop of water from the Mekedatu project will help farmers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Help us help you," he said. The Cauvery water dispute is a long-running inter-state river water-sharing conflict with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu being the principal parties. The dispute revolves around how the waters of the Cauvery River should be shared, particularly during years of low rainfall. The issue resurfaced amid developments concerning the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, proposed by Karnataka. It has been a major point of friction between the two states, with Tamil Nadu traditionally opposing it on the grounds that it would affect the flow of water downstream. Earlier, the Supreme Court asked the Karnataka government to ensure compliance with the Cauvery Water Management Authority's (CWMA) directions on the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta posted the matter for hearing on August 24, on Tamil Nadu's plea seeking directions for the release of water, observing that the matter could be taken up then so that an updated status on the water release could be placed before it. The bench asked Karnataka to ensure compliance with the CWMA directions and adjourned the case. Tamil Nadu has approached the top court seeking enforcement of a decision by the CWMA directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days. (ANI)
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