Stalin’s letter to PM on Mekedatu not legal: Bommai

BENGALURU: Calling it a political stunt, CM Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday slammed the Tamil Nadu government for writing a letter to PM Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to restrain the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) from discussing the Mekedatu project.

Bommai said the Central Water Commission and Jal Shakthi Ministry had earlier put a condition that a detailed project report on the Mekedatu project has to be approved by CWMA. The CM said TN has been placing hurdles for all Cauvery-related works and this is not new. “This letter is not authorised and the Union government will not accept their plea. There is no locus standi for the letter, which does not fall under the legal ambit. This demand is illegal. The Mekedatu project in no way involves Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water. It is our share,” he asserted.

TN deliberately causing hindrance: Min

The authority has conducted 15 meetings, but the TN government did not attend any of them. The 16th and final meeting of CWMA will be held on June 17 and it will be attended by officials from Karnataka, TN, Puducherry and Kerala.TN CM MK Stalin on Monday wrote to Modi, seeking his intervention to restrain CWMA from discussing the Mekedatu project during its meeting on June 17.

Calling it a political stunt, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday slammed the Tamil Nadu government for writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to restrain the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) from discussing the Mekedatu project.

Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol said they have already sent the DPR on Mekedatu project to officials concerned. The Union Jal Shakthi Ministry too said it will review the DPR and take the next course of action as per law. “The Tamil Nadu government is deliberately causing hindrance to projects taken up by Karnataka in the Cauvery basin. The letter sent by Stalin is illegal. As per the Supreme Court order, 4.75 tmcft  can be used for drinking water needs of Bengaluru. Our DPR is based on the Supreme Court order and it has nothing to do with Tamil Nadu’s share of water. We are releasing Tamil Nadu’s share of  water fully and not a single drop less than that.” Congress leaders from Karnataka too slammed Stalin’s letter to Modi.