Tamil Nadu will benefit more from Mekedatu project than Karnataka, says Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar discusses Mekedatu dam project and praises Chennai's solid waste management initiatives.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday said Tamil Nadu would benefit more from the Mekedatu dam project than Karnataka. 

To a query on the project, on the sidelines of his visit to the city to study solid waste management projects, Mr. Shivakumar said: “I do not want to discuss the Mekedatu [project] now. The rain gods have helped both the States. Let good sense prevail upon the people of Tamil Nadu too. Mekedatu is there for Tamil Nadu, more than Karnataka.”

On the solid waste management projects in Chennai, Mr. Shivakumar said: “Today I came to Chennai with a team of 15 officers to study solid waste management [projects], how bulk waste generation is done, and gas and CNG are produced. I have been hearing about these for the last one year. I have seen [the projects], and my officials are impressed with the facilities in Chennai. I appreciate the [Tamil Nadu] government and the entire team.” 

Stressing the need for a different approach in the implementation of waste management projects, Mr. Shivakumar said, “We have also taken up [waste management projects]. I thought that Chennai follows a model. So, we came to study the city’s model. It was a good learning process.”

To a query on his meeting with senior leaders in the Cabinet in the absence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin who is in the U.S., Mr. Shivakumar said: “He [M.K. Stalin] is our friend, no doubt about it. I will meet whoever is there, I will just give my courtesy call.”