Chennai, July 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress Lok Sabha member Manickam Tagore has submitted a notice for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha seeking an urgent discussion on the Centre’s stand regarding construction activities across the Cauvery River, particularly the proposed Mekedatu project in Karnataka, and the need to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s legal rights and the interests of its farmers.
In his notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General, Tagore described the issue as one of “grave public importance”, arguing that the Centre’s recent response on the Mekedatu project has triggered widespread concern in Tamil Nadu.
He said the Cauvery is the lifeline of the state, supporting lakhs of farmers in the delta region while also serving as a crucial source of drinking water for millions of people.
Any construction activity, reservoir or dam on the river that could alter its natural flow, he contended, would directly affect Tamil Nadu’s water security and agricultural economy.
The Congress MP criticised the Union Government’s reply in Parliament, in which the Minister of State for Jal Shakti reportedly stated that the Supreme Court’s judgment on the Cauvery dispute does not require Karnataka to obtain the consent of downstream riparian states before undertaking construction across the river.
According to Tagore, the response has created anxiety in Tamil Nadu as it does not adequately address the state’s concerns over the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
Tagore maintained that the core issue extends beyond the question of consent. He argued that the Centre has a constitutional obligation to protect Tamil Nadu’s lawful share of Cauvery waters as determined by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and subsequently modified by the Supreme Court.
He asserted that no upstream state should be allowed to undertake projects that could diminish or adversely affect the water available to downstream states.
Referring specifically to the Mekedatu project proposed by Karnataka, the MP said Tamil Nadu has every legal and constitutional right to oppose any development that could threaten its allocated share of Cauvery waters or the livelihoods of farmers dependent on the river.
He said farmers in the Cauvery delta have endured decades of uncertainty over water releases and should not be subjected to further anxiety arising from unilateral decisions taken upstream.
Tagore further alleged that the Centre’s position has created a perception that the concerns of Tamil Nadu’s farmers are being overlooked. He urged the Central government to function as a neutral constitutional authority and ensure fairness between basin states while upholding the principles of cooperative federalism.
In the adjournment motion, the Congress leader demanded that the Centre immediately clarify its stand on protecting Tamil Nadu’s interests in the Cauvery basin. He also called for no approval to be granted to the Mekedatu project or any other proposal that could affect Tamil Nadu’s allocated share of Cauvery water until the state’s objections are fully considered.
He stressed that every decision concerning the river has far-reaching consequences for millions of people and urged the Centre to safeguard the constitutional and legal rights of all basin states.
Source: IANS
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