Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch a special programme called “Nadanthai Vazhi Cauvery” on the lines of “Namami Gange” to clean and rejuvenate the river.
In a memorandum to Mr. Modi, submitted in the backdrop of the fifth governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog in Delhi, Mr. Palaniswami said although the State government had been making efforts to prevent pollution of the river, an integrated, centrally-funded and multi-sectoral approach was needed. The Chief Minister said the project would approximately cost ₹7,000 crore to ₹10,000 crore.
Apart from this, he demanded the Centre’s approval and funding for the ₹17,600-crore project planned by Tamil Nadu for improving and rehabilitating the irrigation systems in the Cauvery Basin. Citing Tamil Nadu’s need to find alternative sources to meet its water requirements, the Chief Minister appealed to the Centre to expedite linking of the Godavari and the Cauvery.