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Hogenakkal project to be completed by 2012:
Stalin
Chennai: Tamil Nadu's Hogenakkal drinking water
project, which triggered opposition from
neighbouring Karnataka as it envisages drawing
water from Cauvery, is expected to be completed
by 2012, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said
on Monday. "The Chief Minister (M Karunanidhi)
had put the project on hold last year only to
avoid any confusion or violence whatsoever at
that time (as assembly elections were due in
Karnataka). The project is now on track and is
expected to be completed by 2012," he told the
state assembly. Mr. Karunanidhi had come under
fire from Opposition parties for "unilaterally
putting on hold" the Rs 1,334-crore project
allegedly to favour the DMK's ally Congress in
the Karnataka elections. Karnataka had
objected to the Japanese-aided project, meant to
supply drinking water to Dharmapuri and
Krishnagiri districts bordering the state, on
the ground that its share of the inter-state
Cauvery water would be affected. Winding up the
debate on grants for the Municipal
Administration and Water Supply Department, held
by him, Stalin said he himself had visited Japan
to secure loan assistance from Japanese Bank of
International Cooperation.
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"Tenders
for the first phase of the work have been issued and the
work is scheduled to start in 3-4 months. In fact, we
want to finish the project ahead of the completion time
like the Ramanathapuram Drinking Water Project," he
said. Mr. Stalin said work on two desalination projects
near here were on track. Responding to members' demands,
he said a drinking water project for Vellore using
Cauvery water at a cost of Rs 1,400 crores was being
prepared.
