No compromise on Cauvery: Karnataka's Min

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, Apr 22 (PTI) Karnataka government will not
compromise on protecting the state's interest in implementing
the Mekedatu Hydel Project across the Cauvery, a state
minister said today.
        "We will not compromise on protecting the interests of the
state with respect to the Cauvery water issue including
Mekedatu Hydel Project," Energy Minister D K Shivakumar told
reporters here.
        Shivakumar was responding to former Chief Minister and
Opposition Leader in Legislative Council D V Sadananda Gowda's
charge that Congress was trying to sacrifice the interests
of the state to woo voters in Tamil Nadu.
        Gowda had taken exception to the reported statement of
Shivakumar during an election campaign in Tamil Nadu that
Karnataka had dropped plans to implement Mekedatu hydel
project in the wake of the objections by the lower riparian
state.
        The proposal for taking up the project comprising two
generating units with a capacity of 200 MW each has been
pending for nearly 15 years.
        When Law Minister T B Jayachandra announced last year that
the state would take up the project, Tamil Nadu opposed
it and even moved to the Supreme Court.
        "Until they give us the NOC we are unable to take up the
Mekedatu project," Shivakumar said.
        Asked about loadshedding in the state, Shivakumar denied
any such thing happening but retorted, "Those were due to
technical problems."
        Shivakumar also said the government has taken all steps to
ensure people are not hit by power crisis in summer.
        "The government has purchased 650 MW in March last week
and generated 450 MW wind energy," he added.
        The Minister said the government has met the villagers'
demand for ensuring uninterrupted power supply.
        "We will continue to supply seven-hour uninterrupted
three-phase power to villages where he had promised to do so,"
he said.