Chennai: As the Mekedatu dam row is back in political limelight with Karnataka unrelenting on its avowed stand of dam construction and Tamilnadu stoutly opposing it, Chief Minister M K Stalin has convened a meeting of all Legislature Parties on 12 July to decide the future course of action.
In a statement, Stalin said, the meeting to be held at the State Secretariat, would discuss and take a decision that reflect the unanimous view of the people of the Tamilnadu in protecting the interests of the farmers on the issue.
Stalin has invited the leaders of all Legilsature parties to participate in the meeting and express their views on the issue.
Stating that the TN government has been taking all legal steps to prevent Karnataka from constructing a new dam at Mekedatu across River Cauvery, Stalin said he had persoanlly explained the State’s stand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent meeting in New Delhi.
He said Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan too met Union Jal Shakthi Minister and said the Centre should take appropriate steps on the matter and that no permission should be granted to Karnataka without the consent of Tamilnadu, which is a lower riparian State.
Stalin also recalled the letter written by his Karnataka counterpart B S Yediyurappa seeking TN’s cooperation for the project and the response sent to Yeddyurappa by him asking him not to pursue the project in the interest of the farmers.
In his reply, Stalin also categorically told Yediurappa that construction of the dam would be in violation of the Surpemem Court order and that Tamilnadu would never allow construction of the dam as it would severely affect the
interest of the farmers.
The convening of the meeting comes in the wake of Yediyurappa hardening his stand and declaring that Karnataka would go ahead with the construction of the new dam at Mekedatu and that no one could stop it.
Yediyurappa’s unilateral remarks, despite the Union Jal Shakthi Minister assuring Duraimurugan that no nod would be given to Karnataka without TN’s consent, has triggered strong condemnation from various parties, including the Principal Opposition AIADMK and its ally, the PMK.
With the ruling DMK too not inclined to budge an inch on the matter and continue to stoutly oppose the project, it clearly showed that all the political parties in Tamilnadu were united in their stand on the issue.
The AIADMK and the PMK strongly condemned Yediyurappa’s remarks on Mekedatu and said such statements would affect the cordial relations between the two States and wanted Mr Stalin to take all possible legal steps to stall Karnataka’s bid to construct the Mekedatu dam.