Cong: Will implement Mekedatu on first day after assuming power

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Throwing a challenge to the BJP government in Karnataka, the Congress on Thursday declared that the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project will be executed on the day the party returns to power in the state. The announcement was made by Congress General Secretary and Karnataka In-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala at a mega valedictory function of the sixday padayatra in the city.

The padayatra covered 160 km in two phases from Sangama to Bengaluru. Addressing the huge gathering, Surjewala said: “This is our commitment to people of Karnataka. The BJP led NDA government at the Centre must give all necessary clearances for the project without delay and the government in the state must start constructing a reservoir at Mekedatu.

If this ‘double-engine’ government fails to act swiftly, it will amount to ‘double-cheating citizens”. He called on people to support the campaign to get the much-delayed project implemented so that lakhs of people in Bengaluru city will get drinking water.