The Hindu 18.08.2009
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka stick to stand on hydro power projects
Special Correspondent
— Photo: DIPR
IN DISCUSSION: H.S. Brahma, Union Power Secretary, chairing a meeting in Chennai on Monday. The meeting was attended by officials of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry governments apart from those of the Centre.
CHENNAI: Even as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka stuck to their respective positions on the Cauvery Hydro Power Project proposals, the Centre, after holding a meeting with all Cauvery basin States, on Monday announced that one more meeting would be held in Bangalore by November-end.
[The project envisages the establishment of four power plants, two each in Tamil Nadu (Rasimanal: 360 MW and Hogenakkal:120 MW) and Karnataka (Shivasamudram: 345 MW and Mekadatu: 400 MW) by the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC)].
“Some progress made”
Union Power Secretary H.S. Brahma told reporters: “Definitely, we made some progress today. We would like to discuss further details of these four projects.” Describing the meeting as a confidence-building measure, he called upon the States to trust each other so that pending issues could be resolved.
He expressed the hope that by November end or early December, issues concerning the two components – Shivasamudram and Hogenakkal – would be resolved.
Of the four components, only Shivasamudram had been cleared by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry, Central Water Commission and the Central Electricity Authority.
In respect of Hogenakkal, about 800 hectares would be submerged, most of which belonged to the government.
Mr. Brahma suggested the formation of an oversight committee for the project execution.
Tamil Nadu’s Principal Secretary (Public Works) S. Ramasundaram said the State was for the execution of all the plants through the NHPC.
Responding to Mr. Brahma’s suggestion for resolving the issues bilaterally in the wake of the goodwill generated by the unveiling of statues of Thiruvalluvar and Sarvajna in Bangalore and Chennai, Mr. Ramasundaram said the discussions at the level of Chief Ministers of both States could be held if Karnataka made good the present shortfall of 20 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) in the current irrigation season since June. The Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs in Karnataka were full, he pointed out.
In February, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to prevail upon Karnataka not to take up the Shivasamduram component unilaterally, pending the notification of the Tribunal’s final award, Mr. Ramasundaram said.
Karnataka’s Principal Secretary (Energy) K. Jairaj expressed the State’s keenness to establish the Shivasamudram plant on its own as the site was entirely within its border and the project did not involve consumptive use of water. “While we strictly adhere to the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal to ensure that there is no consumptive use of water, we should be allowed to execute the project.”
Karnataka would be “more than willing to provide” whatever oversight mechanisms were required for the project in view of the severe power shortage.
As for other components, Mr. Jairaj said Karnataka was ready to talk about the mode of execution.
Representatives of Kerala and Puducherry attended the meeting.