Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin asks PM Modi to keep Mekedatu issue off Cauvery river authority table

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday requesting him to instruct the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) to advise the chairman of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), to desist from taking up any discussion on the Mekedatu project, till the issues are heard and decided by the Supreme Court (SC).

In a detailed letter to the PM, Stalin recalled his memorandum to the former on June 17 last year, and requested him to advise the Jal Shakthi minister not to give any concurrence to the proposal of Karnataka for constructing a reservoir at Mekedatu across the Cauvery.

Besides, he recalled an unanimous resolution of the TN Assembly on March 21 this year, opposing the project as well the move of Karnataka allocating Rs 1,000 crore for it. The Jal Shakthi minister was also informed about the resolution, he wrote.

He further added that the Tamil Nadu government was assured that no approval would be given for the proposed Mekedatu project without getting the concurrence of the State of Tamil Nadu. Highlighting the background of the establishment of the CWMA, he said, "The CWMA was specifically constituted, as per the verdict of the SC, only for implementing the orders of the SC dated February 16, 2018."

He further said, "It is our considered view that the scope of the functioning of authority is strictly limited only to the implementation of the verdict and it cannot be expanded to consider any such activity beyond it."

However, the CM said the CWMA has proposed to discuss the DPR of the Mekedatu project in its 16th meeting to be held on June 17, and the step has caused great anguish among the farmers of Cauvery delta in Tamil Nadu.

Expressing his concern over the decision of the CWMA to discuss Mekedatu, the CM said, "This is legally untenable as it is violative of  the verdict of the SC and not at all acceptable to Tamil Nadu."

Explaining the legal issues in the matter, the CM wrote, "The matter is sub-judice since three applications filed by Tamil Nadu on this issue are pending before the SC. We also filed another application in the SC on June 7. These involve critical questions on the role of CWMA, which can only be clarified by the court."

He further appealed to Modi to instruct MoJS, to in turn advise the chairman of the CWMA to desist from taking up any discussion on the Mekedatu project, till the issues are heard and decided by the SC.