TN will gain from Mekedatu dam, says Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar

Chennai: Stating that a favourable monsoon system this time has been a solace to both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday claimed that Tamil Nadu stood to gain from the Mekedatu dam project in his state.

Referring to the copious inflows into the Cauvery river, which led to the neighbouring state release the surplus water to Tamil Nadu, he told reporters here that the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project would benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka.

Responding to a question from reporters on Tamil Nadu's opposition to the controversial dam project, Shivakumar, who was in the city to study Chennai's model of solid waste management, replied that "the Mekedatu balancing reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu more." "But I don't want to discuss the Mekedatu dam issue now. Rain god has helped both the states. Let good sense prevail upon Tamil Nadu people ...Mekedatu dam will benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka," he said.

Shivakumar was on a visit to Chennai with a team of over 15 officials to inspect the solid waste management and see how compressed natural gas (CNG) is produced here.

The Deputy CM, who later held a detailed meeting with Chennai Mayor R Priya and senior officials of Greater Chennai Corporation during his visit, told reporters that Karnataka hoped to get relief from the court on the dam project.

"I appeal to the Tamil Nadu government and also the leaders of political parties... The Mekedatu dam, if implemented, will be more beneficial to Tamil Nadu than Karnataka," Shivakumar stressed.

Karnataka, he said, will respect the court verdict on the Mekedatu project.

Asked about an RTI reply stating that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office spends nearly Rs 54 lakh per month to maintain his official and personal social media accounts, Shivakumar initially replied, "I don't want to comment about it." But he said, "we are a big government. ....social media is taking a very big role apart from the regular media. It is quite natural we have to promote government policies. It is not a big issue. Political parties spend such an amount. Being a party president, I know how much we spend from the party," he said.

On a Congress minister in Karnataka being criticised for announcing a reward for beneficiaries of Gruha Lakshmi scheme, he said that the minister wanted the people to know how the Rs 2,000 being provided under the scheme benefitted them.

"Opposition parties are quite jealous of the scheme because Rs 2,000 is being given to every woman. They want it to be stopped as they don't want the Congress to get elected again in 2028," the deputy chief minister said and pointed to the success of the Rs 1,000 monthly grant to women in Tamil Nadu which ensured an overwhelming victory to the DMK and allies in the Lok Sabha election.

"The opposition parties are afraid that the Congress will get an absolute majority," he added.

Earlier, speaking to reporters after visiting the Srinivasa solid waste management unit here, he said, "I am very impressed with the cleaning facility in Chennai. I congratulated the government and the entire team. They have taken a different approach. This visit was a good learning process for all of us." In a series of posts on the social media platform 'X', he said the team visited Mahashakti Bio-Enercon’s Biogas manufacturing and supply facility in Madhavaram to understand its operational model and effectiveness.

"Biogas, as an eco-friendly and renewable energy source, holds significant potential to enhance Bengaluru's energy efficiency. #BrandBengaluru," he said.

"Taking forward today's engagements and our commitment to enhance Bengaluru’s waste management system, visited the Srinivas Waste Management Services plant in Chennai, along with the officers of BBMP," he said in another post.

"Gained insights into the Chennai Model's waste management practices focusing on reduction, recycling, and the innovative use of biogas across various sectors, the sustainable strategies that we also intend to implement in Bengaluru.#BrandBengaluru," he said.

In another post, Shivakumar said, "in our constant endeavour to step up efforts for effective solid waste disposal and management as part of our #BrandBengaluru vision, visited Urbraser company office and met the officials."

"Watched their presentation on how they propose to collect and decompose garbage from door to door on an everyday basis, assessing the feasibility of the process involved," he added.