Chennai Jan 23 PTI Tamil Nadus principal opposition AIADMK on Sunday slammed Karnataka government for opposing the second phase of the Hogenakkal Drinking Water Project saying the neighbouring state has no moral or legal right to challenge it The main opposition party also took credit for implementing the Hogenakkal project first phase in Tamil Nadu The scheme was launched in 2008 during the DMK regime when late M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister Top party leader O Panneerselvam said the Hogenakkal Combined Drinking Water Project a long time dream of the people of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu was fulfilled by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa Tamil Nadu is a lower riparian state the AIADMK leader pointed out apparently indicating that the state was dependent on water supply by upstream state Karnataka The Karnataka government which has the habit of releasing only surplus water after all its dams were filled does not have a right morally and legally to oppose Tamil Nadus Hogenakkal projects second phase Panneerselvam said in a statement The project area falls under Tamil Nadu he said Tamil Nadu has all the rights to implement this project This DMK government should implement it The AIADMK will extend its full support to the government for the project implementation he said Tracing the origin of the project he said that for the first time a Detailed Project Report was prepared in 1986 when AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran was the Chief Minister to implement the project at a cost of Rs 120 crore Despite initiatives to implement it in 1994 at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore during the first stint 1991-96 of late party supremo J Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister it could not be done in view of inadequate external financial support Panneerselvam deputy leader of opposition in the Assembly said During her second term in office 2001-06 a proposal was sent to the Centre on August 18 2005 to implement the project with Rs 1005 crore assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency Based on this the assistance was secured by the state government and foundation stone was laid for the project in 2008 he said Karnataka had opposed it even then and the AIADMK had held a massive protest to condemn the opposition of the neighbouring state When the AIADMK captured power in 2011 a mere 18 per cent of project work was found completed after 3 years of its launch Panneerselvam claimed Since the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa speeded up project work the remaining 82 per cent work was completed and the Hogenakkal projects first phase was dedicated to people by her on May 29 2013 he said Panneerselvam emphasised that it was the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK regime that was fully instrumental in implementing the Hogenakkal projects first phaseHogenakkal located in the western Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu is close to the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka inter-state border PTI VGN SS SS

Chennai Jan 22 PTI Tamil Nadu has rights both on legal and humanitarian grounds to implement the second phase of the Hogenakkal Drinking Water Project Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said here on Saturday Responding to his Karnataka counterpart Govind Karjol Duraimurugan cited several aspects of the final award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal including clause-18 and consumptive use and the Supreme Court judgment of February 16 2018 to underscore that Tamil Nadu has rights to execute this project which is essential for drinking water needs Karnataka Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol had on Friday said the state government would oppose the proposed water project at Hogenakkal and that Tamil Nadu cannot take it up unilaterally In a statement Duraimurugan said Tamil Nadu has rights both on legal and humanitarian grounds to implement the Hogenakkal projects second phase The Cauvery-Hogenakkal projects second phase will be implemented for sure the Tamil Nadu Minister said hours after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced an all-party meeting in February to discuss inter-state water disputes On January 20 Chief Minister M K Stalin had said that the Tamil Nadu government would prepare a detailed project report to implement the second phase of the Hogenakkal combined drinking water project for Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts at an estimated cost of Rs 4600 crore The first phase of the Hogenakkal project for drinking water supply and fluorosis mitigation was implemented during the 2006-11 DMK regime PTI VGN BN BN

Bengaluru Jan 21 PTI The Karnataka government on Friday said it will oppose the proposed water project at Hogenakkal along the border with Tamil Nadu stating that the neighbouring state cannot take up the work unilaterally It has come to our notice through media reports that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced finalising a Detailed Project Report worth Rs 4600 crore to undertake Phase-2 of the Hogenakkal project state Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol said in a statement He said the neighbouring state has to undertake projects in Cauvery valley region according to the Cauvery Tribunal and Supreme Court orders related to water distribution Karnataka government opposes the project whose details have not been furnished before the tribunal and the apex court Tamil Nadu cannot take up this project unilaterally the minister said Citing Section 13 of the Cauvery tribunal award Karjol said this project has to be undertaken through NHPC He added that the border line of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at Hogenakkal has not been finalised yet by the Survey of India which is essential for taking up the project Tamil Nadu has opposed the Rs 9000 crore Mekedatu balancing reservoir project of the Karnataka government in Ramanagara district which is aimed at meeting the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and neighbouring districts Tamil Nadu contends that the project would impact the interests of farmers in the lower reparian regions in its state Instead it had advocated a dam at Hogenakkal at the border of Chamarajanagar in Karnataka and Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu Seeking to mount pressure on the state government to implement the Mekedatu project the Congress in Karnataka had taken out a 10-day march on January nine but had to stop it midway as the Karnataka High Court cracked the whip in view of the rapid spread of COVID-19 cases PTI GMS RS GMS HDA HDA

Chennai Jan 20 PTI The Tamil Nadu government will prepare a detailed project report to implement the second phase of the Hogenakkal combined drinking water project for Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts at an estimated cost of Rs 4600 crore Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday Announcing a slew of schemes for the district the Chief Minister said the proposed project would further augment the drinking water supply to the people The Hogenakkal combined drinking water project was launched by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in 2008 when Stalin held the Local Administration portfolio This water supply and fluorosis mitigation project caters to the requirement of 3 municipalities 17 town panchayats and 7639 rural habitations in the two districts Dharmapuri always reminds me of the self-help group programme launched by Kalaignar as late Karunanidhi was called and the Hogenakkal project Stalin said while virtually inaugurating several completed projects in Dharmapuri district laying the foundation stone for new initiatives and providing welfare assistance to the beneficiaries from here In order to further enhance the quantum of drinking water being supplied through the Hogenakkal project a detailed project report will be evolved to implement the second phase of the project at an estimated cost of Rs 4600 crore the Chief Minister said Also he announced a new flyover between Kottaiyur in Salem district and Ottanur in Dharmapuri district to decongest the traffic new link road projects for Rs 250 crore a new milk processing plant for Dharmapuri a new SIPCOT Industrial Park for Dharmapuri besides an additional office building within the Dharmapuri collectorate at an estimated cost of Rs 40 crore The Chief Minister inaugurated government buildings constructed at a cost of Rs 4620 crore laid foundation stone for 591 new buildings totally valued at Rs 3542 crore in Dharmapuri district An official release here said the Chief Minister distributed welfare assistance to about 13587 persons on the occasion PTI JSP BN BN