Bengaluru, Dec 12 (NationPress) In light of a recent ruling from the Supreme Court, the Siddaramaiah administration has initiated the formation of a specialized team led by the Director of the Karnataka Engineering Research Station (KERS) to hasten the implementation of the contentious Mekedatu Balanced Reservoir Project.

As per the directive, this team will comprise the Deputy Chief Engineer alongside additional support staff and will be based in Ramanagara, located in the Bengaluru South district, which has been designated as the project’s operational hub.

The government has also confirmed the establishment of a dedicated Mekedatu Project office in Ramanagara, a city neighboring Bengaluru.

Previously, during a meeting on November 18 led by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the Water Resources Minister, it was resolved to set up a Chief Engineer’s office and a Superintendent Engineer’s office to facilitate the swift execution of the Mekedatu project.

However, the establishment of these new offices and positions is contingent upon approval from the Finance Department, a procedure anticipated to be time-consuming. To mitigate this delay, the government has tasked the Director of KERS with overseeing the project’s execution.

KERS has been directed to assemble a team from its current officers and staff to advance the Mekedatu project. This team will consist of one executive engineer, three technical assistants, six assistant engineers, one assistant administrative officer, one accounts officer, superintendents, and additional personnel.

Arrangements for the project office’s infrastructure will be handled by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL). The newly formed team will operate under the administrative oversight of the Managing Director of CNNL. All operational costs, including office expenses and basic infrastructure requirements, will be financed through funds allocated by CNNL.

The directive further mandates that the Managing Director of CNNL transfer all relevant files, correspondence, and documentation related to the Mekedatu Project to the Director of KERS.

It is pertinent to note that Mekedatu is a proposed multi-purpose dam and balancing reservoir project situated on the Cauvery River near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district, Karnataka. The term Mekedatu translates to “Goat’s Leap”.

The project is designed to store approximately 67 TMC of water to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and its surrounding regions, as well as to generate hydroelectric power estimated at around 400 MW.

Tamil Nadu has raised objections to the project, arguing that it may jeopardize water availability for its farmers and the delta area that relies on the Cauvery for irrigation and sustenance.

In November, the Supreme Court dismissed Tamil Nadu’s request to halt Karnataka from preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), labeling it as premature and misconceived, while affirming that Karnataka must continue to release Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water as mandated by the tribunal.