Mekedatu dam project: Tamil Nadu rules out talks with Karnataka

Tamil Nadu Law Minister CV Shanmugam on Monday urged the Karnataka government to drop the proposal of building a reservoir across the Cauvery river near Mekedatu and ruled out holding any talks over the project.

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Mekedatu dam project: Tamil Nadu rules out talks with Karnataka
The Central Water Commission had earlier given its nod for preparation of the project report. (India Today File)

In Short

  • Shanmugam urged Karnataka not to take up construction anywhere in the Cauvery basin
  • The Central Water Commission had earlier given its nod for preparation of the project report
  • TN assembly passed a resolution demanding to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka

Tamil Nadu law minister CV Shanmugam on Monday urged the Karnataka government to drop the proposal of building a reservoir across the Cauvery river near Mekedatu and ruled out holding any talks over the project.

Shanmugam said this in response to the recent letter written by Karnataka's Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar, who sought an appointment with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to discuss the proposed project.

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"The request of the Government of Karnataka to discuss the Mekadatu project...is an attempt to impede the proceedings pending on the application filed on 30.11.2018 by Tamil Nadu", Shanmugam said in a letter to Karnataka's Water Resources Minister.

Shanmugam observed that the move by the Karnataka government is in violation of the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the interstate river water sharing dispute.

Shanmugam urged Karnataka not to take up any construction activities anywhere in the state's Cauvery basin without prior consent from the Tamil Nadu government.

on December 7, special session of the Tamil Nadu assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding the central government to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka over the Mekedatu project.

In November, the Central Water Commission had given its nod for the preparation of the detailed project report for the construction of a reservoir-cum-drinking water project at Mekedatu across the Cauvery.

While Karnataka reiterates that not an inch of land would be irrigated in the state from the water of the reservoir, Tamil Nadu suspects that the construction of another dam on the Cauvery river would curtail the release of water to the lower riparian state.