Anbumani urges T.N. govt. to step up opposition to Mekedatu dam

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to step up Tamil Nadu’s efforts to oppose Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam, after Karnataka Irrigation Minister Chaluvaraya Swamy met Central Water Commission (CWC) chairman Anupam Prasad and sought speedy approval for the project.

According to him, Karnataka was moving ahead with the project while the Tamil Nadu government remained “indifferent”. The Karnataka Minister had sought an immediate CWC inspection of the proposed dam site and assured that the State would provide any additional technical information required.

Karnataka had submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project in 2019. Mr. Anbumani said the CWC returned it on June 29 this year, citing provisions contrary to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final award and the Supreme Court judgment.

Karnataka subsequently submitted a revised DPR before August 19. He said Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced on August 29 that the State would approach the CWC to expedite approval, followed by the Irrigation Minister’s meeting with the CWC chairman.

He urged Mr. Vijay to meet the CWC chairman, Union Water Resources Minister and Prime Minister and seek rejection of the project. He also sought withdrawal of the 2018 permission granted to Karnataka to submit the DPR.