Tamil Nadu on Friday claimed that Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told an all-party delegation from the state that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared by Karnataka on the Mekedatu project will “not be accepted” as it was done “unilaterally.”
Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan said in a statement that Shekhawat also told the delegation that Karnataka would need the permission of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala for going ahead with the DPR.
“The minister (Shekhawat) also told us that Karnataka did not follow any rules vis-a-vis DPR. He told us that Karnataka prepared DPR on its own and has asked us to approve it and sanction permission (for Mekedatu reservoir). The minister said he cannot accept Karnataka’s stand,” Durai Murugan was quoted as saying in an official release.
Durai Murugan led a delegation of representatives from 13 political parties to Shekhawat and handed over a copy of the resolution passed at an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin in Chennai on July 12. The resolution had urged the Union Government not to sanction permission for Karnataka to implement the Mekedatu project.
The Water Resources Minister said the Union Minister told the delegation that he never gave an assurance to Karnataka on going ahead with the project. “Since they did not follow the rules, the DPR cannot be prepared and permission cannot be given. This was stated by the minister,” Durai Murugan added.
The all-party meeting and the delegation’s discussions in Delhi came from the backdrop of Karnataka asserting that it will go ahead with the construction of a reservoir at Mekedatu across Cauvery despite strong opposition from Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu has rejected Karnataka’s claims that the reservoir will not affect Tamil Nadu and its farmers.
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