K'taka approved Hogenakkal project in 1998: TN CS

Chennai, Apr 1 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L K Tripathy today said Karnataka, which was now opposing the Hogenakkal integrated drinking water scheme tooth and nail, had agreed to the execution of the project in 1998 itself during a meeting in New Delhi.

Talking to reporters at the State Secretariat here, he said Karnataka was represented at the meeting by the then Chief Secretary, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board Chairman and the technical advisor, while the then PWD Additional Secretary attended it on behalf of Tamil Nadu.

Mr Tripathy pointed out that in that meeting it was said drinking water should be accorded top priority.

While making it clear that the State Government would go ahead with the project, he said the State would draw water for the scheme from the Cauvery water allotted to it and would not seek excess water. ''The Centre had on September 21, 1999, issued a NOC to Tamil Nadu for drawing 1.4 tmc of the Cauvery water,'' he recalled.

''Tamil Nadu would be drawing water from the left bank of Cauvery at Kuthappaadi village, which is very much in Tamil Nadu,'' he added.

Asked about the recent violence in Karnataka on the Hogenakkal issue, the official said ''we are continuously interacting with the Karnataka Government on the issue.'' The Rs 1,334 crore Hogenakkal scheme, envisaging supply of 160 million litres of water a day to 40.4 lakh people in the parched districts of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri, was being taken up with the funding of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

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