CM Yediyurappa urges Centre for early approvals for Mekedatu, Kalasa-Banduri Nala projects
Yediyurappa, who is in Delhi today met Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar and requested to direct the concerned authorities in the Ministry to grant the Terms of Reference for Mekedatu Project, the state Information Department said in an official release.
He also sought first stage forest clearance for Kalasa and Banduri Nala Projects in the state.
Later, the CM also met Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and sought early approvals and clearances for irrigation and drinking water projects including Mekedatu and Kalasa Banduri Nala to utilise the precious water resources allocated to the State.
Mekedatu balancing reservoir and Drinking water project involves construction of a balancing reservoir across river Cauvery near Mekedatu, with a capacity of about 67.16 tmcft.
The total cost of the project is worked out to be Rs 9,000 crores, aiming to provide drinking water facilities to Bengaluru Metropolitan region and its surrounding areas (4.75 TMC) and generate 400 MW of power as an additional benefit.
Despite assurance that the project will in no way affect Supreme Court order to release 177.25 tmcft Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the lower riparian state has been vehemently opposing it, raising apprehensions that it will be affected if the project takes shape.
On the other hand, the Kalasa-Banduri Project in the Mahadayi river basin aims to bring water to the drought-prone regions of Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi and Gadag districts by diverting water from the inter-state Mahadayi river to the Malaprabha river in Karnataka.
Goa has opposed the Kalasa-Banduri project claiming it would cause "ecological devastation" and increase the salinity in the waters of the Mahadayi river.
The Chief Minister also urged the Jal Shakti Minister to declare irrigation projects like Upper Krishna Project Stage- III and Upper Bhadra Project as "National Projects".
These were also among the developmental issues pertaining to the State that Yediyurappa had discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the meeting, earlier in the day.
A release said, Yediyurappa also called on the Union Minister for Petroleum, National Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan and requested to expedite the process of disinvestment of the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited.
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Compromised PM didn't sign trade deal with US, but a bargain for Adani's release: Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of signing a trade deal with the US only to secure the "release" of billionaire businessman Gautam Adani.
"Compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani's release," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, after reports that the US has agreed to settle the lawsuit that accused Adani of hiding alleged bribery.
The US government has agreed to settle the lawsuit filed against Adani, who is accused of duping investors by concealing that his company's huge solar energy project in India was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme, according to court filings published Thursday.
Reacting to the reports, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said it was now clear why the PM agreed to the "hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade deal that was really a steal by the US".
"And it is also clear why he abruptly halted Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025, acting on President Trump's threats rather than on our national interest. Reportedly, the Trump Administration is about to drop all charges of corruption against Modani," he said on X.
"How much more compromised can the PM get?" Ramesh asked.
In the lawsuit filed in late 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, who is a director at the group's renewable energy unit Adani Green Energy Ltd, of agreeing to pay about USD 265 million in bribes to Indian government officials between approximately 2020 and 2024 to obtain lucrative solar energy supply contracts on terms that expected to yield USD 2 billion of profit over 20 years.
It was alleged in the lawsuit that Adani Group raised USD 2 billion in loans and bonds, including from US firms, on the backs of false and misleading statements related to the firm's anti-bribery practices and policies.
The ports-to-energy conglomerate had denied the allegations.
