Palaniswami asks Centre not to give any clearance for Mekedatu dam construction

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday urged the Centre not to accord any clearance to Karnataka for the construction of reservoir at Mekedatu across Cauvery river even as the Opposition DMK demands for an all party meeting to pass resolution against dam Project by the neighbouring state.
 
“It has been widely reported in the media that the Government of Karnataka has approached the Central Water Commission to accord technical clearance to the detailed project report for the Mekedatu Multipurpose Project (Drinking Water and Power) across the river Cauvery, in violation of the Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal notified in the Gazette by the Union Government", Palaniswami said in a letter to Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Uma Bharti.
 
"In these circumstances, I request you to kindly issue instructions to the concerned officials of the Central Water Commission not to accord techno-economic clearance to the Mekedatu or any other Project in the Cauvery Basin of Karnataka till the concurrence of all the co-basin States are obtained", Palaniswami said.
 
"Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee are formed and come into force and the judicial references are finally settled", he said adding "further, the Ministries concerned may be requested not to accord any Forest, Environment, Wild Life Clearances and other statutory clearances to the Mekedatu Project or any other Project in the Cauvery Basin of Karnataka till all the issues on Cauvery Water Dispute are finally settled".
 
Meanwhile, DMK Working President and TNLA Opposition Leader M.K.Stalin said that asked the AIADMK government to convene an All Party Meet, pass resolution against Mekedatu Dam Project and put up an united front before Central Government to safeguard the livelihood of the Tamil Nadu farmers.