The Tamilnadu government has said that it prevented Karnataka from discussing the contentious Mekedatu reservoir issue at the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting held in New Delhi.
Besides the representatives of Tamilnadu and Karnataka, the fifth meeting of CWMA, presided over by Central Water Commission Chairman R K Jain, officials of Kerala and Puducherry also participated.
CWMA member and TN PWD Secretary K Manivasan told reporters after the meeting that the State government prevented Karnataka from discussing the dam issue by pointing out the pending petitions in the Supreme Court against the project filed by the Edappadi K Palaniswami government.
”We have told participants of the meeting that Mekedatu reservoir will be against the interests of Tamilnadu and its farmers. Our consistent stand is that it should not be built at any cost. Finally the issue was not discussed in the meeting,” Manivasan said.
The Mekedatu reservoir is proposed to be constructed by Karnataka across Cauvery river near Mekedatu, about 110 km from Bengaluru, in Kanakapura taluk.
It was first proposed along with Shivanasamudra hydro power project at Shimsa in 2003 with an intention to use the water for a hydro power station and supply drinking water to Bengaluru city.
It was designed to store 67 tmc feet of water. While Tamilnadu is claiming that the construction of a balancing reservoir will disturb Cauvery water flow to the State affecting irrigation, Karnataka says the project is basically designed to take care of the drinking water needs of Bengaluru after releasing water to Tamilnadu as per the quantum specified by the Cauvery water disputes tribunal.
We all know how ”effectively” Karnataka implemented court and tribunal orders. So, Tamilnadu is right in protesting Mekedatu dam project. Rights of all States should be protected.