CHENNAI, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday urged the Center not to accept the detailed project report prepared by Karnataka for the proposed Mekedatu dam.
“The Tamil Nadu government should put pressure on the central government to revoke the 2018 permission that allowed the preparation of a draft project report for the construction of Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery river without state approval,” he said in a statement.
Referring to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Sivakumar’s remarks, Anbomai said the allegation that Tamil Nadu has no right to oppose the Karnataka government’s plan to build Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery river is “condemnable”.
He also disputed Shivakumar’s assertion that the DRC has already been submitted and the project will be taken up once it is approved.
According to him, the Cauvery river serves as an irrigation source for 14 districts and provides drinking water to five crore people in 30 districts including Chennai.
“If the Makidatu dam is built across the Cauvery river, agriculture in those 14 districts and drinking water supply to five crore people will be affected,” he said, adding that “Tamil Nadu has full right and duty to oppose the project.”
He further pointed out that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal had ruled that the state of Karnataka may not undertake any construction across the Cauvery river without the approval of the basin state of Tamil Nadu and the Supreme Court had repeatedly upheld this order.
“It is a blatant lie for Shivakumar to claim that the Supreme Court has ruled that Tamil Nadu has no right to oppose the Mekedatu Dam,” he said, terming Karnataka’s stand as “unacceptable”.
Reiterating that the Central Ministry of Water Resources should not accept the DRC prepared on the Mikidtu Dam, the PMK leader urged the TN government to protect the state’s rights in the Cauvery.
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