TN asks Centre not to give clearance to Mekedatu project

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday urged the Centre not to allow Karnataka to construct a reservoir at Mekedatu across Cauvery even as the Opposition DMK demanded an all-party meeting to pass a resolution against the project.

“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 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.

"The Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee are formed and the judicial references are finally settled," he said, adding "Further, the ministries concerned may be requested not to accord any forest, environment, wildlife clearances and other statutory clearances to the Mekedatu project or any other project in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka till all the issues in the Cauvery water dispute are finally settled."

Meanwhile, DMK working president and TNLA Opposition leader M K Stalin asked the AIADMK government to convene an all-party meet, pass a resolution against the Mekedatu dam project and put up an united front before the Union government to safeguard the livelihood of Tamil Nadu farmers.