Won't allow Mekedatu project 'at any cost': Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu will never allow Karnataka to build a reservoir across Cauvery in Mekedatu, Durai Murugan said

Tamil Nadu on Wednesday reiterated it would not allow Karnataka to construct a reservoir across River Cauvery in Mekedatu at “any cost”.

The remarks by Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan came a day after the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted a four-member committee to visit Mekedatu to check whether any construction activity was on at the site without obtaining necessary permission from departments concerned in the Union government.

“The state government will consult lawyers and take a decision. Tamil Nadu will never allow Karnataka to build a reservoir across Cauvery in Mekedatu. We will not allow this at any cost,” Durai Murugan said.

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In their order, Justice K Ramakrishnan, and Expert Member Dr K Satyagopal, a retired IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, said the committee would inspect the area in question and submit a factual as well as action taken report, if any violation is found. The report should be submitted on or before July 5.

“The committee is also directed to go into the question as to whether any construction activity as alleged in the media report has been started without obtaining necessary clearance from the Forest Department as well as from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change under the Forest Conservation Act as well as the EIA Notification, 2006,” the order had said.

The proposed reservoir is yet another source of friction between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.