Karnataka govt opposes Tamil Nadu's water project at Hogenakkal
Bengaluru(PTI): The Karnataka government on Friday said it will oppose the proposed water project at Hogenakkal along the border with Tamil Nadu stating that the neighbouring state cannot take up the work unilaterally.
"It has come to our notice through media reports that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced finalising a Detailed Project Report worth Rs 4,600 crore to undertake Phase-2 of the Hogenakkal project," state Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol said in a statement.
He said the neighbouring state has to undertake projects in Cauvery valley region according to the Cauvery Tribunal and Supreme Court orders related to water distribution.
"Karnataka government opposes the project whose details have not been furnished before the tribunal and the apex court. Tamil Nadu cannot take up this project unilaterally," the minister said.
Citing Section 13 of the Cauvery tribunal award, Karjol said, this project has to be undertaken through NHPC.
He added that the border line of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at Hogenakkal has not been finalised yet by the Survey of India, which is essential for taking up the project.
Tamil Nadu has opposed the Rs 9,000 crore Mekedatu balancing reservoir project of the Karnataka government in Ramanagara district, which is aimed at meeting the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and neighbouring districts.
Tamil Nadu contends that the project would impact the interests of farmers in the lower reparian regions in its state. Instead, it had advocated a dam at Hogenakkal at the border of Chamarajanagar in Karnataka and Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu.
Seeking to mount pressure on the state government to implement the Mekedatu project, the Congress in Karnataka had taken out a 10-day march on January nine but had to stop it midway as the Karnataka High Court cracked the whip in view of the rapid spread of COVID-19 cases.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
