Karunanidhi Govt to modernise Cauvery irrigation system

Even as the controversy over Hogenakkal Integrated Drinking Water Project is showing signs of abatement, the state Government announced the setting up of a task force to modernise the Cauvery delta irrigation system on Thursday.

Public Works minister Durai Murugan said in the Assembly on Thursday that the irrigation system needs improvement if the state is to make optimum usage of its share of Cauvery water. The committee would be headed by A Mohanakrishnan, a former chief engineer and expert on Cauvery delta. It is expected to submit the report before July. Mohanakrishnan was the chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell formed by the state Government after the dispute broke out.

In fact, the project is not new, as the Government had mooted modernising the existing structures earlier. However, as is the case with all projects utilising water from inter-state rivers, this project too ran into rough weather, as Karnataka argued against implementation before the dispute regarding sharing of water was settled.

8220;As the dispute has reached a critical phase, the Government has decided to set up a task force to look into improvement of the irrigation system in the delta,8221; the Minister told the House.