Don’t approve DPR for Mekedatu: TN CM to PM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in rejecting “outright and return” the Detailed Project Report of the Mekedatu Reservoir Project submitted by Karnataka Government.

The letter comes days after Karnataka government informed the Supreme Court that it has furnished the DPR to the Central Water Commission on January 18 for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project and requested to accord further clearances for the project.

Karnataka Government wants to build a reservoir at Mekedatu across Cauvery, but Tamil Nadu has been opposed to the move saying the neighbouring state cannot decide unilaterally on the issue. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had appealed to the Tamil Nadu government more than once not to oppose the project since it envisages providing drinking water to people of the state, including those in Bengaluru.

The Tamil Nadu government has also rejected talks on the issue and has preferred to file a case in the Supreme Court.

“The Government of Tamil Nadu had repeatedly conveyed its strong objections to the Government of India, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Central Water Commission on 17.9.2018 and 31.10.2018 to the Mekedatu Project of Karnataka,” Palaniswami said in the letter.

The unilateral action of Karnataka proposing to construct a new reservoir at Mekedatu for which the Detailed Project Report is presented to the Central Water Commission is a clear violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court. Palaniswami said lakhs of farmers who are dependent on Cauvery said and they will be deprived of water if such projects are taken up by upper riparian states.

“I seek your kind personal intervention and request you to instruct the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Central Water Commission to reject outright and return the Detailed Project Report of the Mekedatu Project submitted by Karnataka. I look forward to your immediate positive response in this matter,” Palaniswami said.