Karnataka should fight to increase its share from Godavari-Krishna-Cauvery river linking project, says Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy

A day after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced that Karnataka had consented to the Godavari-Krishna-Cauvery river linking project, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy argued that the State will not benefit much with the allocation made in the project and that Karnataka has to fight for its share.

Asking the Chief Minister to be cautious about such announcements and seek technical advice from engineers before making statements, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “Have you thought about the future of Karnataka before giving the approval? The project comes with restrictions on Karnataka. It will get only a meagre quantum of water from the project. Seek advice from engineers or your party colleague H.K. Patil, who has written a book on the Krishna river.”

Mr. Shivakumar had told presspersons in Belagavi that the State has consented to the Godavari-Krishna-Cauvery river linking project, which will be declared by the Centre as a national project. He had said that ₹1 lakh crore will be spent on the project, and States will foot 10% while the rest will be funded by the Centre.

Gadkari’s promise

Stating that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had promised him in 2018-19 that Karnataka’s interests will be protected, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “However, the 2022 report of the National Water Development Authority (NWDA) that estimated availability of water at 247 tmcft did not allocate a single drop of water to Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu were allocated 90 tmcft, 60 tmcft and 60 tmcft, respectively.”

Further, he said that after former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda wrote letters to the Union government, another report of NWDA in 2023-24 allocated 15 tmcft to Karnataka. “The latest report also brought down the total estimated availability of water to 147 tmcft and gave Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu 45 tmcft, 44 tmcft and 40 tmcft, respectively.”

Even in the allocated 15 tmcft of water to Karnataka, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that the NWDA has allowed utilisation of water in the Malaprabha command area, which has a deficit. “The allocation to Karnataka comes with restriction. We have been asked to utilise water only for drinking water purpose and not for irrigation. There is some allocation for industrial use. We will eventually get about 2 tmcft for our use.”

‘Not like real estate’

Taunting the Chief Minister that knowledge on allocation of water was “not like real estate”, the former Chief Minister said that the State has to fight, including a legal battle, to get its fair share. “We are not against the project but we should see that there is no injustice to the State,” he added.

Mr. Kumaraswamy also took exception to the fact that the outcome of Mr. Shivakumar’s recent meeting with the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during the inauguration of new crest gates at the Tungabhadra reservoir has not been revealed. “Have they consented to the construction of a new reservoir at Navile downstream of Tungabhadra reservoir? Who will fund the project?” he asked.