Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar emphasised on Tuesday that Tamil Nadu stands to gain significantly from the Mekedatu dam project in Karnataka, especially in light of the favorable monsoon this season. The abundant rainfall has led to substantial inflows into the Cauvery River, with Karnataka releasing surplus water to Tamil Nadu.
Shivakumar addresses Tamil Nadu’s concerns
When questioned about Tamil Nadu's opposition to the dam, Shivakumar asserted that the Mekedatu balancing reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka. However, he chose not to delve deeply into the controversy, expressing hope that "good sense will prevail" in Tamil Nadu.
"The Mekedatu balancing reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu more." "But I don't want to discuss the Mekedatu dam issue now. Rain god has helped both the states. (I hope) Good sense will prevail upon Tamil Nadu people. Mekedatu dam will benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka," he said.
Learning from Chennai’s waste management model
Shivakumar, accompanied by a team of over 15 officials, visited Chennai to study its solid waste management practices. He praised the city's approach, particularly its innovative use of biogas as an eco-friendly energy source. The team visited multiple facilities, including Mahashakti Bio-Enercon’s Biogas plant in Madhavaram, to understand its operational model and explore how similar practices could enhance Bengaluru's waste management system.
"I am very impressed with the cleaning facility in Chennai. I congratulated the government and the entire team. They have taken a different approach. This visit was a good learning process for all of us," he told reporters after visiting the Srinivasa solid waste management unit.
Plans to implement insights in Bengaluru
Shivakumar shared his intention to apply the insights gained in Chennai to improve waste management in Bengaluru. The visit, part of the #BrandBengaluru initiative, included discussions with officials from Urbaser to assess the feasibility of adopting similar garbage collection and decomposition methods in Bengaluru.
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