Reiterating its opposition to a reservoir in Mekedatu, Tamil Nadu on Monday said it was taking “all necessary action” to prevent Karnataka from taking up construction of a dam across River Cauvery “in violation” of the final order of the Tribunal and a judgement of the Supreme Court.
Tabling the first separate policy note of the department and presenting the Demand for Grants, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan asserted that Tamil Nadu will continue the fight to ensure that the state’s rights are not compromised in inter-state water disputes with Karnataka and Kerala.
“The Government of Tamil Nadu is taking all necessary action to prevent Karnataka from constructing a Dam at Mekedatu or any other place, in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka in violation of the Final Order of the Tribunal and the Judgment of the Supreme Court and to safeguard the rights of Tamil Nadu,” Durai Murugan said.
The minister also said the Tamil Nadu government will go ahead with the ambitious project to link Cauvery with Gundar within the state, which is being opposed by Karnataka. He also noted that the state government has moved the Supreme Court against an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) closing proceedings against the Mekedatu project.
The appeal was made as Tamil Nadu feels the NGT closed the case without giving the state an opportunity to present its side. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are locked in an intense battle over the former’s plan to construct a reservoir in Mekedatu across Cauvery. Tamil Nadu opposes the project saying it cannot be constructed without its permission as a lower riparian state, but Karnataka says it does not need a nod from any neighbouring state.
Durai Murugan also announced that 1,000 check dams and barrages will be constructed in the state in the next 10 years to conserve water – barrages will come up across Cauvery, Kollidam, and Thamirabarani in the first phase. The minister said drones will be deployed to monitor water bodies in the state.
Durai Murugan also said the Government was committed to inter-linking of peninsular rivers like Mahanadhi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, Palar, Cauvery, Vaigai, and Gundar. “The Government of Tamil Nadu is taking all efforts to implement the Inter Linking of Rivers Project to alleviate the water shortage in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Mullaperiyar and other water issues with Kerala
Durai Murugan said Chief Minister M K Stalin had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June to instruct the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change to advise the Government of Kerala not to delay in giving the required clearances to carry out the works and to restore the water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam to full reservoir level (FRL) of 152 ft.
“On receipt of clearances, the work would be undertaken. Continuous efforts are taken to obtain the Forest Clearance from the Union Government. The works which does not require clearances have been completed,” the minister said, adding that a meeting with Kerala officials at the Additional Chief Secretary level to resolve water-related issues will be held shortly in Thiruvananthapuram.
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