Bengaluru: Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa (BSY) on Tuesday said that the State Government would go ahead with the Mekedatu drinking water project and there was no question of stopping it.

Speaking to media here, he said, “We will implement the Mekedatu project within the legal framework and complete it. We are in a comfortable situation. There is no question of stopping it”

His remarks came a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin opposed the project on the grounds that it would hurt farmers in his State.

Yediyurappa said that he had written to Stalin to allow the project as it would benefit people from both the States. “They have not responded positively. Yet, we will implement the project,” he said.

In his response to Yediyurappa on Monday, Stalin had asked the Karnataka Government to not pursue the project.

While Karnataka Government has maintained that the drinking water project would go ahead, TN is piling pressure on the Centre to stop the project, maintaining that it would impair the flow of Cauvery water.

Mekedatu project is a multipurpose project, which involves building a balancing reservoir, near Kanakapura in Ramanagara. Once completed, it is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas (4.75 TMC) and also can generate 400 MW power, and the estimated cost of the project is Rs. 9,000 crore.