Tamil Nadu's all-party delegation urges Centre not to support Karnataka on Mekedatu dam issue
Jul 16, 2021
New Delhi [India], July 16 : Amid the rising tension between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Mekedatu dam project, an all-party delegation from Tamil Nadu met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the matter in New Delhi on Friday.
After the meeting, Tamil Nadu minister Durai Murugan, who was part of the delegation, said the all-party delegation has put forth Tamil Nadu's stand 'strongly' in front of the Centre.
"We have urged Centre not to help Karnataka with Mekedatu issue. We also took up the DPR (detailed project report) issue and stressed that riparian states' consent is necessary," said Murugan.
Earlier, in an all-party meeting called by the Tamil Nadu government on July 12, three resolutions over the Mekedatu dam project issue were passed.
Earlier on July 12, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had said that the Centre will have to give clearance to the project as per law and there is no reason Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led government will stop the project.
Responding to the comments of Bommai, Tamil Nadu Water Resource Durai Murugan said that the state has the right to take a legal course of action to stop Karnataka from constructing the Mekedatu dam.
Prior to that, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin have also the urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to allow the Karnataka state government to construct a dam at Mekedatu against the orders of the Cauvery tribunal and the Supreme Court.
"The Proposed Mekedatu Reservoir... would irreparably and irreversibly affect the flow of water from river Cauvery to the lower riparian States - particularly Tamil Nadu and also threatens the very existence of many combined water supply schemes catering to the needs of lakhs of people," Stalin wrote, adding that it would drastically disturb and affect the distribution of water to Tamil Nadu.
Incidentally, a civil appeal filed by Tamil Nadu, seeking a restraint order on the proposal, is pending before the Supreme Court.
