River linking project: Karnataka fears Tamil Nadu may eye surplus Cauvery water

Karnataka is worried that Tamil Nadu may lay claim to surplus water on the Karnataka side of the Kaveri basin as Tamil Nadu is planning to build the Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar Link scheme to provide water to its southern region.

Karnataka feels that Tamil Nadu, which is opposing the Mekedatu project near Kanakapura, may demand more water from the state once its river-linking project is completed.

Though the Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar Link scheme is being implemented under the Centre’s river-linking project to utilise surplus Kaveri water, Tamil Nadu may put legal hurdles to Karnataka’s plan to utilise its share and the excess water generated in its basin in the coming days, said an official in Karnataka.

Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and officials of the Water Resources Department are rushing to Delhi to meet legal experts on the issue on Sunday.

Jarkiholi is also likely to meet Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to apprise Karnataka’s concern. However, Jarkiholi was not available for comment.

According to Karnataka, after ensuring 177.25 tmcft to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu water gauging centre in a normal year, it can utilise the rest, which includes its share of 284.75 tmcft and any surplus available. However, Tamil Nadu has been opposing Karnataka’s view.

“If Tamil Nadu says Karnataka should not utilise its surplus water, then Tamil Nadu also has no right to utilise surplus water coming from the upper riparian state (Karnataka),” said an official.

Out of the 740 tmcft estimated by the Supreme Court in the entire Kaveri basin, 483 tmcft is generated up to the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border at Biligundlu. There could be another 45 tmcft surplus above 483 tmc on the Karnataka side, sources said.

When Karnataka proposed to build a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu to utilise surplus water to provide drinking water to Ramanagara and Kanakapura towns, Tamil Nadu filed a petition in the Supreme Court opposing the project.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will lay the foundation stone for the first phase of Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar Link scheme on Sunday, which will be built at a cost of Rs 6,900 crore. The project plans to take surplus water from Kaveri near Mayanur barrage in Karur to drought-hit areas of Trichy, Pudukottai, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts. The project involves provide water for both irrigation, drinking and filling lakes.

The entire 262-km river-linking project costing Rs 14,000 crore, aims to divert 6,300 cubic feet of surplus Kaveri water. The Union Jal Shakti Ministry will fund the project substantially and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to lay the foundation stone for the entire project next month.