Vellore, Aug 3: Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Water Resources, Durai Murugan, inaugurated the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new railway overpass at Karasamangalam, near Katpadi. Following the event, the minister addressed the media, expressing concerns over the ongoing Mekedatu dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Minister Durai Murugan highlighted that despite 38 rounds of discussions between the two states, no amicable solution has been reached on the Mekedatu dam issue. He recalled the earlier efforts made during the tenures of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, Karnataka Chief Minister J.H. Patel, and the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, which also failed to resolve the dispute.
He further mentioned that during the tenure of Prime Minister V.P. Singh, a tribunal was established to address the water-sharing conflicts, following which Tamil Nadu had filed a case in the Supreme Court.
In a recent development, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the Mekedatu dam project. According to Durai Murugan, the Prime Minister advised Karnataka to resolve the issue through discussions with Tamil Nadu. However, Durai Murugan criticized this approach, saying, “Attempting to resolve this matter through talks is equivalent to committing suicide.”
The minister also brought attention to the ongoing issue of the Markandeya dam being constructed across the Thenpennai River. Tamil Nadu has requested the establishment of a tribunal for this matter as well, but even after two years, there has been no response from the concerned authorities.