Mekedatu project will benefits Tamil Nadu more, says Deputy CM Shivakumar

CHENNAI: Stating that good rains have rescued both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu this year, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has said that the Mekedatu project would benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters after visiting Srinivasa Solid Waste Management unit in Chennai on Tuesday, he said, “Good rains have saved us this year. The Mekedatu balancing reservoir will benefit Tamil Nadu more. But I don’t want to talk about it now”.

He was replying to a query about opposition to the project by Tamil Nadu. The Mekedatu project, designed to store about 66 tmcft of water, aims to act as a balancing reservoir for water distribution to Tamil Nadu.

Taking forward today’s engagements and our commitment to enhance Bengaluru’s waste management system, visited the Srinivas Waste Management Services plant in Chennai, along with the officers of BBMP.

Gained insights into the Chennai Model’s waste management practices focusing on… pic.twitter.com/1YE3VpFn8E

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) September 3, 2024

In January this year, Shivakumar said that the Mekedatu project would be completed during the current tenure of the Congress government in Karnataka. However, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu is against the project, saying that it harms the interest of the farmers in the state.

Shivakumar visited Chennai to study the waste management model of the city. “I have come here with 15 officials to study the Chennai model of waste management, especially solid waste management and generation of gas from waste. We learnt a lot from this visit, we will adopt many of the learnings from the Chennai model”, he said.

“The generation of power from waste has not found success in many places. We have also set up waste-to-power units at 10 places in Bengaluru”, he added.

Continuing my engagements in Chennai, visited Mahashakti Bio-Enercon’s Biogas manufacturing and supply facility in Madhavaram to understand its operational model and effectiveness, accompanied by Karnataka government officials and Greater Chennai Corporation(GCC) delegates.… pic.twitter.com/9xGLQ5ny5W

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) September 3, 2024

Asked about BJP Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya’s allegation in the allotment of civic amenity (CA) sites, he said, “The allotment of CA site is done as per the prevailing laws. There is no irregularity here. The site is allotted to a Trust and not any individual”.

Asked if he would like to meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, he said, “Tamil Nadu CM is a good friend and a senior leader. I will meet him at a convenient time”. (ANI)