Tamil Nadu leaders slam Karnataka’s move to construct dam in Mekedatu

CHENNAI: Political parties in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday condemned the Karnataka government’s proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery river in Mekedatu.
In his Independence Day speech on Monday, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said that his government had prepared a detailed project report on construction of a reservoir near Mekedatu to utilise “excess water flowing into the sea” during rainy season.The Rs 5,912crore Mekedatu project would generate 400 MW power besides providing drinking water to Bengaluru city, the CM said.
PMK leader S Ramadoss on Tuesday said the proposal was against the inter-state water sharing agreements and the ruling of the Supreme Court.
Ramadoss said the Tamil Nadu government should exert pressure on the Central and Karnataka governments, even while pursuing legal action.
“The Centre should not remain silent on the issue. It should reject Karnataka’s proposal in consonance with its earlier stand,” the PMK leader said.
Alleging that Karnataka’s plan was to build a reservoir with a more storage capacity than in the Krishna Raja Sagara reservoir, Ramadoss said it was primarily for irrigation purpose and not for drinking water needs.
The inter-state agreements and the Supreme Court ruling called for consent from the lower riparian states for construction of dams in the inter-state river. Moreover, the Karnataka government cannot increase its acreage of cultivation against the tribunal order.
“If a new dam is constructed, Tamil Nadu will be deprived of water. The Cauvery will become another Palar and delta will turn desert,” he said.
MDMK leader Vaiko accused the Karnataka government of violating the Supreme Court judgment and central government of backing the Siddaramaiah regime.
He called upon the supporters to join the August 19 bandh call given by the Left-affiliated farmers and agricultural labourer associations in the delta districts to exert pressure on the Centre to set up Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to oversee water sharing from the inter-state river.