Mekedatu project across Cauvery is our right: Karnataka
Bengaluru, Dec 6: The Karnataka government Thursday asserted that the proposed Mekedatu project was the "right" of the state and its "lifetime dream" but sought to reach out to Tamil Nadu, which is strongly opposed to the scheme.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy held consultations with his predecessors and former water resource ministers on irrigation schemes, even as the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed an unanimous resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka for a detailed project report for its proposed dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
"It is the right of our state, we don't want to fight or have misunderstanding with anyone on this issue.
It is a balancing reservoir, there is no question of us misusing it," Karnataka water resources minister D K Shivakumar told reporters here after the meeting.
"We request them (Tamil Nadu), they are like our brothers, we are friends.. we have to share this water...
we don't want to fight with them," he said in response to a question about Tamil Nadu rejecting the state's request for talks to clear doubts on the project.
The meeting was attended by former chief ministers Siddaramaiah and Jagadish Shettar, and former water resource ministers Allam Veerabhadrappa, K S Eshwarappa, H K Patil, M B Patil, Basavaraj Bommai, also technical and legal experts.
A specially convened session of the Tamil Nadu assembly Thursday passed the resolution moved by chief minister K Palaniswami, asking the Union Ministry of Water Resources "to immediately order the Central Water Commission to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka for preparing the DPR (detailed project report)."
The previous Siddaramaiah government had decided to implement the Rs 5,912 crore Mekedatu Multipurpose (drinking and power) project, which involves building a balancing reservoir with a capacity of about 66 tmcft, near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district.
The minister said the state government was preparing the DPR and was taking all necessary steps to protect the interest of the state in accordance with law.
"With utmost humility I appeal that both of us (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) should work together in protecting the interest of our people," Shivakumar said.
He noted that that the "key" to release water to Tamil Nadu according to the Cauvery verdict was with the Cauvery Management Board and not with the Karnataka government.
"There will be no question of us misusing things in anyway...so, going to the Supreme Court against the project or bringing political pressure is not lawful," he said.
He said he along with a team of officials would visit the site of the project Friday. Shivakumar made it clear that there was no scope to explore possibility for irrigation in the area, which is the main contention of Tamil Nadu.
He said "there are about 4,996 hectares of land that come under the proposed project area. Out of that 280 hectares is revenueland, about 500 or 600 acres of farmers land may be there."
The minister said, Karnataka was ready to make presentation on the project to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues, and the state government has also appealed to the Centre to call a meeting of both states to sort out the issue.
Shivakumar said he had written to Palaniswami and said there was no meaning in "unnecessarily objecting to the project. The project was being done within our state and with our money and without violating the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Cauvery dispute."
In his letter, Shivakumar said, "The government desires to have an amicable solution.
It appears that some misconceptions about the proposed project have occurred in government's and Tamil Nadu people's mind though actual reality of the project is different."
In view of Tamil Nadu approaching the Supreme Court for stay on the permission given by the Central Water Commission to Karnataka to go ahead with the DPR, the state government has instructed its legal team to take all necessary steps to lawfully protect the interest of the state.
Shivakumar said Tamil Nadu would get "95 per cent benefit" from the project, while Karnataka would benefit by generating electricity.
Shivakumar said, he was "shocked" that Tamil Nadu has convened a special assembly session on the issue.
He also said the state government was taking all necessary steps with regard to Krishna and Mahadayi water issues to protect the state's interest.
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Akhlaq lynching case: Brinda Karat seeks President's intervention in UP govt's move to drop charges
New Delhi (PTI): Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Saturday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, demanding her intervention in the Uttar Pradesh government's move to withdraw charges against the accused in the 2015 mob lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq.
In a letter to the President, Karat called it a "politically motivated" step by the government, and also questioned the role of the governor.
"I write to draw your urgent attention to the role of the Uttar Pradesh governor in the matter of the mob lynching case of Md Akhlaq, which occurred in September 2015. The governor has given written permission to the UP government to go ahead in its wholly illegal and unjust attempt to subvert the processes of justice and to withdraw the entire case even though the main witness has already given evidence," Karat said.
She said the government has filed an affidavit in the Greater Noida district court to withdraw the case, with the governor's permission.
"I regret that I am forced to write to you on this matter, but since the governor has been appointed by you and is answerable to you, I felt it in the interests of justice to inform you of the facts and to request your urgent intervention," she said.
On September 28, 2015, a mob gathered outside Akhlaq's house in Uttar Pradesh's Bisahada village after an alleged announcement from a village temple claiming that he had slaughtered a cow. He, along with his son Daanish, was dragged out of their home and assaulted, leading to Akhlaq's death.
"Even today, Danish has not fully recovered and carries the impact of the grievous wounds inflicted on him," Karat said.
The CPI(M) leader said the daughter of the victim gave evidence and named and identified all the accused.
"In other words, evidence against the accused has been presented and recorded in the court. The case is going on, and two other direct witnesses are to give their statements," she said.
"At such a time, the UP government has taken a decision to withdraw the case on utterly indefensible grounds, such as lathis were used, not guns, there was no personal animosity with the victim, continuing the case will lead to communal disharmony and so on," the letter read.
Karat alleged that the case has been delayed by the prosecution -- by not giving notice to the witnesses to appear -- and now the delay has been cited as the grounds to withdraw the case.
"This is motivated not to meet the ends of justice but to subvert the entire judicial process," she said.
Calling it a "politically motivated" step by the Uttar Pradesh government, she questioned, "Should the governor not counsel the government against such a step? Is it not the duty of the governor to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law?"
"If such a case is withdrawn, what will be left of the processes of justice? Will this not then apply to all cases of mob lynching that lathis were used, not guns, that there is no personal animosity, that harmony requires that such cases be withdrawn?" she asked.
Karat expressed hope that the President would intervene and direct the governor to withdraw the permission given.
"The matter is urgent as the government affidavit approved by the governor, which was to be discussed in the court yesterday (December 12) was postponed on the request of the prosecution," she added.
The Uttar Pradesh government has moved to withdraw charges against all those accused in the 2015 mob lynching in Greater Noida's Dadri, a case that had sparked nationwide outrage.
