Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File Photo)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw permission given to the Karnataka government for preparation of a detailed project report for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir and drinking water project.
In his letter, Palaniswami cited a letter he had written in September that sought Modi’s instruction to the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to direct the Central Water Commission to stop permission to Karnataka to prepare a detailed project report. He said the action of the CWC has caused great alarm and apprehension among the people of Tamil Nadu as it will affect the livelihood of lakhs of farmers who depend on water from the Cauvery.
“The proposal for the reservoir is not just for drinking water alone, as claimed by Karnataka, but to increase the extent of irrigation, which is in clear vocation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award as affirmed by the Supreme Court,” the letter said.
