B S Yediyurappa's statement on Mekedatu 'unilateral', project should be dropped: M K Stalin

Condemning his Karnataka counterpart B S Yeddyurappa’s “unilateral announcement” on the construction of a reservoir in Mekedatu across River Cauvery, Tamil Nadu Chief M K Stalin on Friday demanded that the controversial project be “dropped” immediately as it is “detrimental” to the interests of farmers in his state.

In a statement hours after Yeddyurappa said Karnataka will go ahead with construction of the reservoir once the Centre approves it, Stalin asked the Union Government not to accord permission to the project. He said Yeddyurappa’s statement is against the final award of the Supreme Court on sharing of Cauvery water and the “people of Tamil Nadu.”

“During my meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi (on June 17), I registered my protest against the project. In this circumstance, Yeddyurappa’s unilateral announcement on an issue that is pending before the Supreme Court will not help the good relations enjoyed between the two states in any way,” Stalin said in the statement.

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He demanded that Karnataka drop the project immediately, and also appealed to the Union Government not to sanction permission for the same. Stalin’s statement came in response to Yeddyurappa’s assertions on Friday that Karnataka will go ahead with the project once the Union Government approved it.

Tamil Nadu, Stalin said, has been opposing the project as it feels construction of another reservoir across the Cauvery is against the interests of farmers in the state and would lead to a reduction in the share of water allotted to the state by the Supreme Court.

He recalled that the Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution on March 28, 2015, against the project and had also moved the Supreme Court in this regard.

The construction of a reservoir in Mekedatu across River Cauvery is yet another source of friction between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. While Tamil Nadu says no reservoir can be built without its concurrence and that it is against the orders of the Supreme Court, Karnataka says the project is aimed at fulfilling the drinking water needs of Bengaluru.