Mandya: – Reiterating his stand that a new dam at Mekedatu across River Cauvery would be constructed, Karnataka Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) said the dam would be constructed after getting all clearances from the Centre to address the drinking water needs of the people.

Yesterday, Shivakumar visited Shimshapura Power Generating Station (Shimsha Power Plant or Sir K. Seshadri Iyer Power Station) that is facing threat of submersion if the Mekedatu project comes up. The Power Station was set up by Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1939.  It is the first Hydroelectric Power Station in Asia to start generation and is located at hilly regions in Shivanasamudra, near Malavalli.

Visiting the Power Station along with officials, the Minister said, Shimsha unit needs to be upgraded. The project generates 17 MW of electricity.

Old machines will be replaced to generate more power and the Power Station will be shifted to a place that does not face submersion, he added. “Karnataka is determined and committed in constructing the dam at Mekedatu to store 57 tmcft of water. Only after getting all clearances from the Centre, we will construct the dam at Mekedatu,” he said.

Inviting leaders of all parties in Tamil Nadu to visit the dam site, he said that construction of a new dam at Mekedatu would in no way affect flow of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu. Asserting that Karnataka does not want to adopt a confrontationist attitude with neighbouring Tamil Nadu, he said TN was a brother State.

He also said that Karnataka would not violate the Supreme Court and said that the Centre has not given the nod to construct the dam, but only to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna, MLAs Dr. K. Annadani, Narendra and Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah, MP D.K. Suresh and officials from Water Resources Dept. were present.

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