Mekedatu: Minister tells officials to prepare time-bound action plan for expediting clearances

Directing the officials to expedite the process of getting various permissions for the proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project, Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Thursday asked them to prepare a time-bound action plan.

Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy, who was allotted the Water Resources portfolio on Wednesday, began his work by holding a review meeting with senior officials on the issue on Thursday.

At the meeting, he deliberated on the present status of the project, the legal challenges and the action plan to be adopted to expedite the process of getting clearances.

The Minister emphasised that the Mekedatu project was crucial for ensuring adequate drinking water supply to Bengaluru and the surrounding areas in the future years. In this context, the officials concerned should take the necessary measures to take the project forward without any delay, he said.

The Minister specifically discussed issues related to status of Detailed Project Report (DPR), necessary permissions to be taken from the Centre and related authorities, issues related to forest and ecology and the strategy to be adopted to take the forest forward by protecting the State’s interests.