Will complete Mekedatu project during present Cong regime: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Mysuru, Jan 24: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the much-awaited Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river would be completed during the present term of the Congress government.
The contentious Mekedatu project intends to store 66 TMC water and supply it to Bengaluru during the shortage of water.
While Tamil Nadu has been objecting to it saying that the reservoir will take away its share of Cauvery water, Karnataka has been insisting that it will utilise its share.
Shivakumar said former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has accused that the Congress government was not serious about the Mekedatu project, which is not true.
"We will complete the project within our government's tenure, but will Deve Gowda, who is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, get us the Centre's approval for the project?" Shivakumar said after inaugurating Mutthina Mullusoge project in Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru.
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The Mutthina Mulusoge project aims at providing Cauvery water to 150 lakes in 79 villages of Periyapatna Taluk.
Complaining that the JD(S) patriarch Gowda was casting aspersions on the Congress unnecessarily, he said the state government has been fighting legally to get approval for the Mekedatu project.
Shivakumar said the Supreme Court has already instructed the Water Management Tribunal not to obstruct construction of a dam at Mekedatu.
"River Cauvery is our mother and we are all alive due to her blessing. Yet, none of the 26 MPs from the BJP are pressuring the Centre to approve the project. Why is it that Mysuru BJP MP Pratap Simha isn't approaching the prime minister to obtain approvals for Mekedatu project?" he asked.
The deputy chief minister said the government has already instructed the revenue officials of Mandya, Chamarajanagara, Mysuru and Bengaluru Rural districts to handover revenue lands to those who will lose their lands to Mekedatu project and the Forest department officials will start the tree census exercise.
Shivakumar explained that the Mekedatu dam is a balancing reservoir to release water to Tamil Nadu when there is not enough water in Harangi, Kabini, KRS and Hemavathi reservoirs.
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FIR registered after drone spotted flying over ISRO's ISITE campus in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): An unmanned aerial vehicle was allegedly spotted flying over the ISRO's ISITE campus here, a designated "No Drone Zone", following which a probe has been launched, police said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at around 8.16 AM on May 2, they said.
A probe was launched following a complaint by a sub-inspector from the CISF who spotted the unidentified drone flying at a height of approximately 80 to 100 feet over the ISITE (Satellite Integration and Test Establishment) campus for about 10 to 12 seconds, police said.
According to the FIR, the ISRO ISITE campus is a highly sensitive and restricted area, designated as a "No Drone Zone." Any unauthorised aerial activity in such a sensitive zone poses a serious threat to security.
Despite being aware that this is a prohibited "No Drone Zone," some unknown individuals have carried out illegal drone activity in the restricted area, the complaint alleged.
Police said a case has been registered against unknown persons at HAL police station under Section 329(3) (criminal trespass) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with relevant provisions of the Aircraft Act, for operating a drone in a prohibited area without permission.
Further investigation is underway, they added.
