TN, Karna appear heading for face-off over Mekedatu project

The contentious Cauvery issue took the centre stage again Thursday with the Tamil Nadu assembly adopting a resolution urging the Union government to withdraw its approval for preparing a DPR on the proposed Mekedatu dam across the river in Karnataka and the upper riparian state asserting that the project was its "right".

At the same time, Karnataka sought to reach out to Tamil Nadu, saying it did not want to have a fight or misunderstanding with anyone on the issue, clarifying that Mekedatu was only a balancing reservoir and there was no question of misusing it.

While Tamil Nadu opposed the project, saying it was in violation of the final award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal and the judgement of Supreme Court, and would affect its share of Cauvery water, Karnataka said there was no scope to explore possibility for irrigation in the area of the multipurpose (drinking and power) project.

A specially convened sitting of Tamil Nadu assembly adopted an unanimous resolution condemning the Central Water Commission (CWC) for giving the permission to Karnataka for preparing the Detailed Project Report for the reservoir.

It urged the Union Water Resources Ministry "to immediately order the CWC to withdraw the permission."
Responding to a question about Tamil Nadu rejecting the state's request for talks to clear doubts on the project, he said: "We request them (Tamil Nadu), they are like our brothers, we are friends.. we have to share this water... we don't want to fight with them."
The minister said he had written to Palaniswami and said there was no meaning in "unnecessarily objecting to the project. The project was being done within our state and with our money and without violating the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Cauvery dispute."