Ensure CWMA doesn’t discuss Mekedatu: Stalin to PM

Tamil Nadu government on Monday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in “desisting” the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) from taking up for discussion the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Mekedatu project to be implemented by Karnataka in its meeting on June 17.

In a letter to Modi, Chief Minister M K Stalin contended that Mekedatu was “beyond the scope” of the CWMA and allowing a discussion on the DPR is an “attempt to subvert” an earlier verdict of the Supreme Court. He also told Modi that the state government has moved an application before the apex court asking it to direct CWMA not to take up the DPR for discussion.

“…the discussion on the DPR of Mekedatu proposed in 16th CWMA Meeting has to be postponed till the Hon’ble Supreme Court hears our applications and gives its decision on them. I, therefore, request you to instruct the Ministry of Jal Shakthi to advise the Chairman of the CWMA, to desist from taking up any discussion on the Mekedatu project, till the issues are heard and decided by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” Stalin said.

Stalin told Modi that the Tamil Nadu government was handed out an assurance by the Union Government that no approval would be given for the proposed Mekedatu project without getting its concurrence.

“This step (CWMA discussion) has caused great anguish among the farmers of Cauvery Delta in Tamil Nadu. I am sure that you are fully aware that our state depends greatly on the waters of Cauvery for its drinking water needs and irrigation,” Stalin said.

Although the quantity of allocation is not up to our expectation, we are managing our needs with the allocated share, provided it is delivered as per the schedule, he said, adding that any disruption in that would affect the state “very adversely.”

Stalin also said the CWMA was specifically constituted, as per the verdict of the Supreme Court dated May 18, 2018 only for implementing its orders dated February 16, 2018. “It is our considered view that the scope of the functioning of authority is strictly limited only to the implementation of the verdict and it cannot be expanded to consider any such activity beyond it,” Stalin said.

He also termed as “legally untenable” the CWMA’s decision as it is violative of the verdict of the Supreme Court and not at all acceptable to Tamil Nadu. In addition, he added that the matter is sub-judice, since three applications filed by Tamil Nadu on this issue are pending before the Supreme Court.

Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project contending that 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.