Karnataka is planning the Mekedatu balancing reservoir with minimum forest submergence and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) requirements.
Through this process, the government is looking for early Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) clearances.
The state government is also planning an integrated operation of Kabini, Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) for the proposed balancing reservoir.
M B Patil, Karnataka water resources minister, said the state is drawing up a fresh detailed project report (DPR). “The DPR must indicate the generation of hydro power by formulating an optimum operation policy for existing and proposed reservoirs. It should also take into account the pattern of downstream releases consistent with CWDT (Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal) order, so that it is acceptable to the Supreme Court where Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have challenged the CWDT award/decision on various grounds.”
Patil, responding to BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai’s remarks, said an earlier project report (DPR) on Mekedatu in 1996 was “based on topo sheets, and not prepared based on the statutory guidelines laid down by the Central government.”
Patil further said, “The project report prepared by KPCL was prior to the final award of Caurvey Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) dated February 5, 2007. Hence a fresh report is vital.”
The minister added that the DPR must contain the review of existing information on land and water resources, study of the Cauvery river course up to the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, interpretation of topographic maps, satellite images, aerial photographs and generation of digital maps on a GIS platform with latest technologies available.
Along with DPR, a study on the effect of climate change and environmental impact assessment on the flows and water availability was also needed, said Patil.