Chennai, June 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution strongly opposing Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery River and urged the Union Government not to grant any approval or clearance for the scheme.
Moving the resolution in the House, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said protecting Tamil Nadu’s water rights transcended political differences and called for a united stand to safeguard the state’s farmers' and people's interests.
“Water is our basic right and resource. The responsibility to protect it rests with all of us. Political differences may exist, but when it comes to the welfare of our people and farmers, we must stand united,” Vijay told the Assembly.
The resolution objected to Karnataka’s efforts to proceed with the proposed balancing reservoir project, estimated to cost around Rs 9,000 crore, describing the move as unilateral and contrary to existing legal and judicial provisions governing the sharing of Cauvery waters.
Tamil Nadu argued that both the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court had categorically held that the Cauvery basin is a deficit basin, with the available water already allocated among the riparian states. As a result, the resolution maintained that no new project could be undertaken in the basin that would enable additional utilisation or storage of water beyond the allocated shares.
The Assembly also expressed concern over Karnataka’s attempts to advance the project without obtaining the necessary approvals from the Centre. It termed such efforts unacceptable and called upon the Union Government to advise Karnataka against proceeding with the dam.
Further, the House urged the Central Water Commission not to process or approve Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project. The resolution endorsed all steps being taken by the Tamil Nadu government to prevent the implementation of the scheme, stating that such measures were essential to protect the livelihoods of farmers dependent on Cauvery waters.
The issue has also exposed divisions within the Congress party, with Karnataka’s Congress government backing the project while Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu have supported the TVK‑led government’s opposition to it.
Karnataka has consistently maintained that the Mekedatu project is intended to meet Bengaluru’s growing drinking water requirements and generate 400 megawatts of hydroelectric power. Tamil Nadu, however, fears that any new storage structure on the Cauvery could adversely affect downstream water availability and has reiterated its firm opposition to the project.
Earlier, Vijay had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the rejection of Karnataka’s DPR and stressing that no new reservoir should be permitted on the Cauvery without the consent of downstream states.
Source: IANS
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