It may be recalled that Mr Yeddyurappa had inspired the antiHogenakkal agitation in Karnataka by undertaking a boat ride in the Hogenakkal falls on March 16. But, chief minister M. Karunanidhi had put the project on hold and said it could be taken up after a government got elected in Karnataka. The ambitious Hogenakkal drinking water scheme could hit a roadblock as the chief minister elect B. S. Yeddyurappa in Karnataka is expected to keep his ‘promise’ that should his BJP return to power in the state, he would halt the project once and for all.
It may be recalled that Mr Yeddyurappa had inspired the antiHogenakkal agitation in Karnataka by undertaking a boat ride in the falls on March 16. Following violent protests, chief minister M.
Karunanidhi had put the project on hold so that it could be taken up after a popular government got elected in Karnataka. However, Mr Yeddyurappa had then declared in an interview to a Tamil biweekly that the project would be “permanently stalled once a BJP govern ment gets elected.” Now that the BJP has come to power and he would himself lead the government, it is logical to assume that Mr Yeddyurappa would block Tamil Nadu’s Rs.1,334 crore project for providing drinking water to the districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri bordering Karnataka.
His stand is that the Tamil Nadu project would hurt the availability of water for Karnataka, while Tamil Nadu argued that Karnataka had already tapped its share of Hogenakkal water to feed the domestic taps in Bangaluru.
Sensing the changed political situation in Karnataka, chief minister Karunanidhi had instructed the officials during a review meeting of the municipal administration and water supply departments on Friday to resume Hogenakkal works. “As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, work is happening as per schedule,” said chief secretary L. K. Tripathy on Monday.