Will takeup legal, political battle to stop Hogenakkal project: CM Bommai

Bengaluru: The state government would do what is necessary to stop the Phase-2 work of the Hogenakkal project of the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, said Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday.

“We have faced such challenges before also. We will take up legal and political battles to oppose the project by the neighboring state,” IANS reported him as saying.

Answering a query on whether Tamil Nadu is announcing the Hogenakkal project to delay the implementation of the Mekedatu project, Bommai said, “I don’t know what is running in their head. We have already filed objections with regard to the Hogenakkal project and other river interlinking projects.”

Bommai also announced that he would hold an all-party meeting in February to discuss the future course of action regarding inter-state water disputes.

“I will hold another virtual meeting by January-end and call for an all-party meeting in the first week of February. Advocates representing the state at the Supreme Court, concerned ministers and floor leaders in the council and assembly would attend the meeting as the cases have reached the final stages,” he said.

“We will discuss how to proceed with the inter-state water disputes in the interest of Karnataka. Political parties had fought as one unit before also. When we were in the opposition, cooperation was given to the ruling party,” he added.

“We held a virtual conference today regarding inter-state water disputes,” he said. The present status of cases in the court was also discussed in the meeting.

In irrigation terms, Karnataka is a middle riparian state.

“There are problems from the upper and lower riparian states. Verdicts have already come regarding the major disputes. Though the Mahadayi tribunal award has come, the matter is still with the Supreme Court,” he said.

(With inputs from IANS)