MANDYA
The district administration has revealed that the proposed Mekedatu drinking water and balancing reservoir project will require 1,079 hectares of forest land across five villages in Malavalli taluk. District Collector Dr. Kumar stated that to compensate for the submerged area, forest-department-approved non-forest land must be provided at a 1:1 ratio.
Previously, 2,204 hectares of land were identified for this purpose, but the earlier allocation will no longer be used. Instead, the authorities have instructed that suitable forest and government lands totaling 1,079 hectares be earmarked and handed over to the Forest Department. So far, 307 hectares in Pandavapura and Nagamangala have been identified, and the department has issued suitability certificates for these areas. The remaining 757 hectares must be surveyed, documented, and certified within 15 days.
The collector emphasized that a team comprising the taluk-level Tahsildar, ACF, ADLR, and officers from the Cauvery Irrigation Corporation will jointly conduct surveys to identify appropriate non-forest lands. Officials must ensure that the designated lands are free from any encroachments or legal disputes. Detailed surveys and sketches of the identified plots are mandatory.
Deputy Commissioner M. Shivamurthy, Cauvery Irrigation Corporation Executive Engineer K. Raghuraman, DFO Raghu, taluk-level forest officers, and other officials participated in the meeting. The project is being closely monitored, and the Deputy Chief Ministers will hold review meetings every 15 days to oversee progress and ensure timely land allocation for the Mekedatu project.
