Lok Sabha Question No. 244 (STARRED), answered on 2021-08-05
Subject: Mekedatu Multipurpose Project
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Prajwal Revanna

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *244

ANSWERED ON 05.08 .2021

## MEKEDATU MULTIPURPOS E PROJECT

## *244 SHRI PRAJWAL REVANNA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the current status of Mekedatu multipurpose drinking water and power project which invol a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district of Karnataka;
- (b) the details of b lueprint of the dam and the storage capacity of water;
- (c) the quantum of funds likely to be spent on the said project;
- (d) whether environmental and forestry clearances have been obtained for construction of Me across river Cauvery; and
- (e) i f so, the details thereof along with the reasons for the delay, if any?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## ST ATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO PARTs (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTI ON NO. *244 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2 021 ON 'MEKEDATU MULTIPURPOSE PROJECT' RAISED BY SHRI PRAJWAL REVANNA .

(a)  The  Feasibility  Report  (FR)  of  Mekedatu  Balancing  Reservoir  cum  Drinking  Water  Pro submitt ed to Central Water Commission (CWC) by Government of Karnataka for according "in - principle" clearance for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project. The Screening Central  Water  Commission  in  its  meeting  held  on  24.10.2018  ac corded  'in -principle'  clearance  for preparation  of  DPR  by  project  authority  (Government  of  Karnataka)  subject  to  certain including  that:  ' As the main objective of this scheme as stated in the FR is to implement t Water  Dispute  Tribunal (CWDT)  Award  as  modified  by  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court,  acceptance Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) would be a pre - requisite for consideration of the DPR the Advisory Committee of MoWR, RD & GR '.

Subsequently, DPR of Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project was submitte by Government of Karnataka to CWC in January 2019 and copies of DPR were forwarded to Ca Water Management Authority (CWMA). Discussion on the DPR of the above project was included agenda item du ring various meetings of CWMA. However, discussion on this issue could not tak due to lack of consensus among party States on this agenda item.

## (b)Details are given at Annexure - I .

(c)  As  per  the  DPR  of  Mekedatu  Balancing  Reservoir  cum  Drinking  W ater  Project,  submitted  by Government of Karnataka in January 2019 to CWC, the estimated cost of the project is Rs 9 (2018 - 19 Price Level).

(d) & (e) The above mentioned proposal submitted by Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited, Govern Karnataka to Ministry of Environment and Forests & Climate was considered during 25th Meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects held on 19.07.2019. The EAC deferred the project inter - alia stating that there wer e representations received from the Tamil Nad State Government requesting not to grant ToR (Terms of Reference) to the present proposal opined  that  an  amicable  solution  be  arrived  at  between  the  two  states  and  thereafte reconsideratio n for grant of ToR.

The Environmental Clearance under the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006 as ame not yet been accorded to this proposal by Ministry of Environment and Forests & Climate Chan

No proposal seeking prior approval of the Central Government under the Forest (Conservation Act, 1980 for non - forestry use of forest land for construction of Mekedatu Multipurpose Projec received by the Central Government.

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Annexure ref erred to in reply to part ((b) of S tarred Question No. *224 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 05.08.2021 regarding ' MEKEDATU MULTIPURPOS E PROJECT '.

## Details  of  project  proposal  as  given  in  the  DPR  of  Mekedatu  Balancing  Reservoir  cum Drinking Water Project, Karnataka (submitted in January 2019 to CWC).

The Project envisages construction of Concrete Gravity Dam of height 99.0 m to be l about 2 k m downstream of confluence of Arkavathy with Cauvery River and upstream of start interstate boundary of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

As per the DPR, the capacity at full reservoir level (FRL) is 1901.97 MCM (67.16 The dam will have live storage capa city of 1683.90 MCM (59.46 TMC) between FRL 440.0 m and MDDL* 395.0 m.

The  Project  envisages  meeting  drinking  water  requirement  of  Bengaluru  Metropol Region to the extent of 4.75 TMC and its adjoining area. It also envisages power generati MW (3 Units of 120 MW each and 1 Unit of 40 MW) by utilizing the available fall in the b between the Mekedatu Site and Biligundlu.

*MDDL -Minimum Draw Down Level

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