Basavaraj Bommai asserts Karnataka's rights on river water issues, bats for joint survey

Tirupati/Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday asserted the State's rights on inter-State rivers such as Cauvery, river linking initiatives and related projects in a meet chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also batted for joint survey.

Addressing the Southern Zonal Council meet in Tirupati Bommai said Karnataka should get its rightful share in Cauvery, Krishna and Pennar river basins.

Citing the Polavarm project, a feature of which is interlinking of Godavari and Krishna rivers, he said Karnataka's 'rightful share' should be ensured through avenues like substitution as river Krishna flows to a large extent in Karnataka and similarly, Cauvery originated and flowed across the State. "However, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) that has been envisaged by National Water Development Agency doesn't even giv

e one TMC of the rightful share of water." "Therefore, we strongly plead that while making a final DPR, our rightful share in Cauvery-Krishna-Pennar basin is restored as it was envisaged earlier," Bommai said.

Taking exception to the Cauvery-Vagai-Gundar link project, he said, "though the shares of co-basin states have not been decided, Tamil Nadu is going ahead with the CVG link, which is inadmissible in law." Karnataka had urged the Centre in its letter on February 17, 2021 not to approve the proposal of Tamil Nadu for taking up of CVG Link as an advance action in anticipation of the realisation of the Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar Link project. "The sharing of water of all the riparian states, that is Karnataka, Andhra, Puducherry, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, has to be decided before Tamil Nadu takes up its CVG Link. We have already requested the government of India in this regard. I request the Home Minister to look into the matter and give justice to all the southern states," the CM said. Bommai also demanded that no statutory clearances be given to large scale permanent projects, planned for utilising surplus waters in violations of Water Tribunal Awards.

He also raised objection to the lift irrigation projects at Palamuru, Rangareddy and Nakkalagandi (Telangana), to draw large quantity of remaining surplus water. The Chief Minister also opposed the Rajiv Gandhi Sangam Banda barrage by Telangana "as it will utilise the remaining water in the guise of savings which will come for review in 2050."

If remaining water is allowed to be utilised by the downstream states by way of permanent projects, Karnataka will be affected during its claims for an equitable share in 2050, Bommai claimed. He insisted on joint surveys regarding the project.

Bommai also sought a joint survey with respect to the construction of Gundravulu project across Tungabhadra river by Andhra Pradesh to determine the extent of submergence of villages and land in Karnataka.

He also requested Andhra Pradesh to furnish details on allocation of water and approvals obtained from the Centre on Gundravulu project. The projects in Telangana or Andhra Pradesh in the name of savings or temporary use of surplus would permanently affect the northern part of Karnataka, Bommai said.