(a) whether the Government had asked the Government of Karnataka not to take up Jala Samvardhan Programme to desilt tanks in the Cauvery basins areas;
(b) if so, the reasons for prohibiting Karnataka Govt. to take up the said programme;
(c) whether the Government have noticed that the Tribunal
had gone on record saying that desilting would have no
impact on the basin area; and
(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SMT. BIJOYA CHAKRAVARTY)
(a) to (d) The Government of Karnataka have submitted a
proposal for rehabilitation of about 6000 tanks in the State
for World Bank assistance, including tanks in the Cauvery
basin. The project intends to benefit 1.80 lakh ha.
additional area. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT)
in its Interim Order dated 25th June, 1991 has inter alia
directed the Government of Karnataka that they shall not
increase its area under irrigation by the waters of the
river Cauvery beyond existing 11.2 lakh acres. As per
details furnished by Government of Karnataka to the Cauvery
Water Disputes Tribunal, this area includes 2.93 lakh acres
under minor irrigation. The Government of Tamil Nadu has
therefore objected to this project. The Government of
Karnataka has hence advised to delete the tanks in Cauvery
basin from the project proposal which Government of
Karnataka has accepted. In the alternative, the Government
of Karnataka has also been advised to obtain the consent of
co-basin States or specific approval of the Tribunal for the
proposal of desiltation of old tanks in Cauvery basin in the
State.