TN CM urges PM to reject Karnataka's Mekedatu dam project report

The Tamil Nadu government Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention on the Mekedatu issue, urging him to instruct the Ministry of Water Resources and Central Water Commission to "reject outright" Karnataka's DPR for constructing a dam on river Cauvery.

The state government had "repeatedly" conveyed its "strong" objections to the Centre, Water Resources Ministry as well as the CWC against the project,Chief Minister K Palaniswami wrote to Modi, recalling his earlier pleas.

"In the circumstances, I seek your kind personal intervention and request you to instruct the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Central Water Commission to reject outright and return the Detailed Project Report of the Mekedatu Project submitted by Karnataka," Palaniswami told Modi.

He said the Karnataka government had informed the Supreme Court on January 21 that it has furnished the DPR to the CWC on January 18 for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir- cum-Drinking Water Project "and requested to accord further clearances" for it.

"The unilateral action of Karnataka proposing to construct a new reservoir at Mekedatu for which the Detailed Project Report is presented to the Central Water Commission is a clear violation of the judgement of the Hon'ble Supreme Court dated February 16, 2018," Palaniswami said in the letter.

The chief minister recalled his government moving the apex court November last year with a plea to direct the CWC to withdraw the permission granted to Karnataka for preparing the DPR for the Mekedatu Project.

"Lakhs and lakhs of farmers of Tamil Nadu dependent on Cauvery water are agitated that they will be deprived of their due share of water as per the judgement of the Supreme Court dated February 16, 2018, if Mekedatu or any such project is taken up in the Cauvery basin by upper riparian states," he said.

Tamil Nadu has expressed its strong opposition to Karnataka's proposal to construct a balancing reservoir on river Cauvery at Mekedatu, saying it would impact the lower riparian state.