Tamil Nadu all-party meet asks Centre not to okay Mekedatu project

CHENNAI/ BENGALURU: Tension is fast building up between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the proposed dam on river Cauvery at Mekedatu with even the BJP and the Congress taking different positions in the two states.
An all-party meeting in Chennai on Monday unanimously urged the Union government not to clear the project pushed by Karnataka, the first time the DMK government and the BJP were in agreement in Tami Nadu.

Hours later in Bengaluru, the BJP government in Karnataka said it would do everything possible to implement the project.
The all-party meeting led by chief minister M K Stalin unanimously passed three resolutions. The parties said that no construction should be done at Mekedatu without the approval of the lower riparian state as per the Supreme Court order. “The Karnataka government’s efforts to build the dam against that order is condemnable,” the meeting said, adding the project would affect the farmers in Tamil Nadu. The parties offered full support and cooperation to the state government’s initiatives to stall the project, which they said was a challenge to the Constitution.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Stalin said “Karnataka does not give our due share of water normally. Our question is how will water come when a dam is built. Karnataka supplies only the surplus water during floods as it could not store it. The state does not provide the quantum as per the tribunal award and the Supreme Court order.” Stalin said the proposed dam, with a capacity of 67.16tmcft, would jeopardize the interests of Tamil Nadu farmers. “Karnataka’s claims that the dam is to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru city and for hydel power generation is not true. This is to deceive us,” Stalin said.
Nainar Nagendran, the BJP’s floor leader in TN assembly, said the party extended full support to the DMK government for the welfare of the farmers and that Karnataka should not build a dam without the consent of the lower riparian state.
P H Manoj Pandian, AIADMK MLA and party organising secretary, said the state government should move the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the Constitution and it should seek expedition of the pending contempt cases against the violators of the orders of the Supreme Court.
In Bengaluru, Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka home, law and parliamentary affairs minister, said, “There’s no question of stopping it. Since it’s a drinking water project and excess water is being utilised, Karnataka has every right to take it up.”
He appealed to Tamil Nadu to understand that the project will benefit both states, especially during distress years. “The final award on sharing of Cauvery water has been issued and the Cauvery Water Management Authority will monitor release of water to Tamil Nadu. The apprehension that Tamil Nadu will be deprived of its share of water is uncalled for,” he said.
D K Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress president, urged the government to implement the project and said the Congress party would extend all cooperation. “We needn’t worry about Tamil Nadu’s opposition. They’ll place hurdles even if we wait for a hundred years. Your party is in power at the Centre — use it and start the project,” he said.
In Chennai, the Tamil Nadu Congress took a diametrically opposite stand, backing the state government’s stand against the project.