No question of building dam at Mekedatu now as Karnataka yet to fulfil prerequisites: Centre

CHENNAI: Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday conveyed to the delegation of leaders of legislature parties in Tamil Nadu that the question of Karnataka building a new dam at Mekedatu does not arise now since it has not fulfilled any of the prerequisites like obtaining the consent of the riparian states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry -- and that of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

Answering queries of reporters after a meeting with the Union Minister in New Delhi which lasted for around 45 minutes, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan said, “The delegation put forth Tamil Nadu’s views effectively to the Union Minister. We have clearly told him that the Union government should not act in favour of Karnataka in building a dam at Mekedatu. We also pointed out the permission given to Karnataka for preparing a Detailed Project Report for constructing a dam at Mekedatu.”

Responding to this, the Union Minister clarified that a DPR prepared by Karnataka on their own without fulfilling the prerequisites would not be accepted by the Jal Shakti Ministry

With regard to reports that Shekhawat had promised to give permission to Karnataka for building a dam at Mekedatu, Durai Murugan said, "When we asked about this, the Union Minister stoutly denied it."

On appointing a full-time chairman for CWMA, Durai Murugan said, "The Union Minister has said that advertisements for filling this post were given and no satisfactory profiles were received. He said they are in the process of appointing a full-time chairman by relaxing certain qualifications which were demanded earlier."

RS Bharathi (DMK), D Jayakumar (AIADMK), A Gopanna (Congress), GK Mani (PMK), Vaiko (MDMK), Thol Thirumavalavan (VCK), RC Paul Kanagaraj (BJP), N Periasamy (CPI) and K Balakrishnan (CPM), MH Jawahirullah (MMK), AKP Chinnaraj (Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi), T Velmurugan (Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi) and M Jagan Moorthy (Puratchi Bharatham) were part of the all-party delegation.

Stalin to meet PM

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 18 to demand that the Union Government should not permit Karnataka to build a dam at Mekedatu. He is also likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on July 19.