Karnataka’s decision to construct a reservoir in Mekedatu across River Cauvery and allot Rs 1,000 crore for the purpose reached the corridors of New Delhi on Thursday with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin petitioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the project which is in “violation” of the 2018 Supreme Court verdict.
Mekedatu was at the top of the 14-point memorandum that Stalin submitted to Modi during their 30-minute at the Parliament House during which several issues relating to Tamil Nadu were raised and discussed. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s petition to Modi comes 10 days after the state assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the Mekedatu project and asked the Union Government not to accord necessary permission for its construction.
Stalin told the Prime Minister that a reservoir proposed by Karnataka in Mekedatu across Cauvery “in the guise of drinking water project” is in violation of the February 16, 2018, Supreme Court verdict as the project will impound and divert the first component of uncontrolled flows due to Tamil Nadu.
“Therefore, the implementation of the Mekedatu project would affect the interests of Tamil Nadu’s farming community. It is an attempt to impound the uncontrolled flows in violation of the award as affirmed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” Stalin said in the memorandum and accused Karnataka of not releasing water from Cauvery as per the monthly schedule even in a good or normal rainfall year.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister asked Modi to direct the Ministry of Jal Shakti not to give any clearance to Karnataka for Mekedatu Project or for any new reservoir project of Karnataka in the Cauvery basin.
“(To) advise Cauvery Water Management Authority, also not to give approval for the Mekedatu Project and direct the Government of Karnataka not to take up any new project construction activities in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka without the prior consent of the Government of Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project contending that the construction of a new reservoir across Cauvery is against the 2007 final award by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) and the 2018 verdict by the Supreme Court. The state government argues that water flow from Karnataka into Tamil Nadu will get disrupted if a new reservoir is built in the neighbouring state.
While Karnataka says it does not need any permission for constructing the reservoir in Mekedatu, Tamil Nadu feels otherwise.
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