Maintaining that Karnataka taking up construction of a reservoir across Cauvery in Mekedatu is in “violation” of orders passed by the CWDT and the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday reiterated that it was taking all “necessary action” to ensure that the neighbouring state does not implement the project.
Presenting the Demands for Grants for the department in the Assembly, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan handed out an assurance to the people that the DMK government will fight for the state’s rights in matters of inter-state water disputes. On the Mullaperiyar Dam issue, Murugan said the maximum water level is being maintained at 142 feet.
Murugan, in the policy note placed before the Assembly, listed the steps being taken by the state in opposing Karnataka’s proposal to construct a reservoir at Mekedatu across Cauvery. He said Chief Minister M K Stalin has asked the Union Government not to accord any clearance to the project to Karnataka during his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2021 and March 2022.
“Government of Tamil Nadu is taking all necessary action including legal action to prevent Karnataka from constructing a Dam at Mekedatu or any other place, in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka, in violation of the Final Order of the Tribunal and the Judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and to safeguard the rights of Tamil Nadu,” he 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.
The minister also said the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board is collecting water samples from Cauvery and Pennaiyar Rivers near the inter-state boundary between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to monitor water quality. Similarly, the Central Water Commission is also collecting samples and monitoring the water quality of the Cauvery River at Billigundulu.
“Government of Tamil Nadu is closely pursuing this issue so as to prevent polluting River waters of Cauvery and Pennaiyar,” Murugan said, adding that the government had accorded sanction for carrying out 647 desilting works for a length of 4,061 km in the Cauvery Delta districts at an estimated cost of Rs.65.10 crore.