Chennai: The Tamilnadu government is taking all necessary action, including legal action, to prevent Karnataka from constructing a dam at Mekedatu or any other place, in the Cauvery basin in violation of the Final Order of the Tribunal and the Judgement of the Supreme Court and to safeguard the rights of TN.
Moving the demand for grants for Water Resources department, Waters Resources Minister Durai Murugan listed the steps taken by the State government on the issue and pointed out that Karnataka has allocated Rs.1,000 crore in its Budget for the year 2022 – 2023 for the Mekedatu Project.
To oppose the move of Karnataka, the Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly had on 21 March this year resolved to strongly condemn the action of Karnataka government proposing to construct Mekedatu dam across Cauvery River, unilaterally, and allotting fund for the same without respecting the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and Supreme Court; urge the Union government not to give Technical and Environmental and any other clearance required for constructing the
Mekedatu project.
He also requested the Union government to advice the Karnataka not to take up a proposal of constructing a Reservoir at Mekedatu or at any other place in the Cauvery Basin without getting the concurrence of
co-basin States.
He also requested the Cauvery Water Management Authority not to consider the Detailed Project Report and not to give permission for the Mekedatu Project; and unanimously support all the actions of Tamil Nadu Government to prevent Karnataka’s attempt to construct Mekedatu Project, in the interest and welfare of the farmers of TN.
Durai Murugan said he wrote a letter to the Union Minister of Jal Shakti 23 March this year requesting him not to give permission to the proposed Mekedatu Project of Karnataka and forwarded the resolution passed unanimously in the Tamilnadu Assembly to him on 24 March.