DMK ups ante on Mekedatu project; convenes meet to chalk out

: The DMK Wednesday called a meeting of its allies and friendly parties here Thursday to deliberate on the issue of Central Water Commission (CWC) allowing Karnataka to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of a reservoir at Mekedatu across the Cauvery.

A day after DMK president M K Stalin slammed the Centre for the nod, the main opposition party said that the meeting would be held at its party headquarters Thursday, where it is expected to chalk out a political strategy on the issue.

The CWC had recently given its go-ahead to Karnataka for preparing a DPR for a proposed balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project at Mekedatu.

Calling the DMK's initiative a "political drama", Tamil Nadu BJP President Tamilisai Soundararajan said the nod for preparing the DPR did not mean permission for construction of the dam.

"The Karnataka government was given permission for preparing the DPR, which is the first step for any project request that a state puts forth," she told reporters here.

"The DMK is an ally of Congress, which is part of a coalition government in Karnataka. Instead of taking up the issue with them directly, DMK's multi-party meeting on this looks like an eye-wash... a political drama," she said, adding that the saffron party also stood opposed to the project.

Stalin had hit out at the AIADMK government as well for what he called the incumbent regime's "negligent" attitude that resulted in the Centre's permission to Karnataka.

The leader of the opposition in the assembly had wanted Tamil Nadu government to approach the Supreme Court to obtain a stay for the Centre's permission and Karnataka's efforts for a dam.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had urged the Centre to withdraw its permission to Karnataka for preparing a DPR for the dam project.

Reacting to the Tamil Nadu government's demand, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had asserted that the project has to come into effect.