7 months ago
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Tamil Nadu Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan connected Thursday said reports claiming that the Supreme Court had permitted the operation of a balancing reservoir crossed the Cauvery astatine Mekedatu successful Karnataka were not true.
He said the Tamil Nadu authorities would not compromise connected the rights of the Cauvery delta farmers, and would defy immoderate attempts by the Karnataka authorities to proceed with the project.
Mr. Duraimurugan said the Karnataka authorities had, successful 2018, unilaterally prepared a feasibility study for gathering a balancing reservoir, with a capableness of 67 tmc ft, crossed the Cauvery astatine Mekedatu, and submitted it to the Central Water Commission (CWC). The Tamil Nadu authorities had filed a petition against this determination successful the Supreme Court.
In 2020, erstwhile the Karnataka authorities sought from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change support of the Terms of Reference to behaviour an Environmental Impact Assessment for the project, the Tamil Nadu authorities approached the Supreme Court again and obtained a stay connected the process, helium said.
When the Karnataka authorities allocated ₹1,000 crore for the project, the Tamil Nadu authorities powerfully opposed it, urging some the Union authorities and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) not to assistance clearance. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly besides adopted a unanimous solution connected March 21, 2022, connected this issue, helium said.
When Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, helium insisted that support should not beryllium fixed for the project. Following this, erstwhile the Union authorities said that the CWMA had the authorization to see Karnataka’s proposal, Tamil Nadu erstwhile again filed a petition successful the Supreme Court connected June 7, 2022, asserting that the CWMA had nary specified power, helium said.
“As a effect of Tamil Nadu’s persistent efforts, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu task has not been taken up for treatment successful the CWMA meetings. The CWMA besides returned Karnataka’s connection to the CWC connected February 9, 2024,” Mr. Duraimurugan said.
Referring to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s caller remarks that Karnataka had released much h2o to Tamil Nadu than its owed stock during the 2025-26 h2o year, and that the Mekedatu task would not impact Tamil Nadu successful immoderate way, Mr. Duraimurugan said specified claims were wholly unacceptable.
“Karnataka releases surplus h2o lone during years of dense rainfall, erstwhile it has nary different option. But during drought years, Tamil Nadu does not person adjacent the quantity of h2o allocated to it. Constructing the Mekedatu balancing reservoir would severely impact Tamil Nadu’s farmers and interruption the orders of the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal,” helium said.
According to the Minister, the Supreme Court, portion proceeding a lawsuit related to the Mekedatu task connected Wednesday, directed that Tamil Nadu’s views beryllium presented earlier the CWMA and the CWC, and that nary determination beryllium made without proceeding the State’s objections.
AIADMK wide caput Edappadi K. Palaniswami and PMK person Anbumani Ramadoss cricticised the DMK authorities implicit the Supreme Court’s reflection connected the Mekedatu project.
The Supreme Court had termed Tamil Nadu’s exertion challenging Karnataka’s connection to physique a dam crossed the Cauvery astatine Mekedatu “premature”, and refused to entertain it. In the lawsuit of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) being approved, the affected parties, including Tamil Nadu, would beryllium escaped to instrumentality measures successful accordance with the law.
Mr. Palaniswami and Dr. Anbumani said that the M.K. Stalin-led DMK authorities did not enactment distant beardown arguments against the project. “Those successful the DMK are lone acrophobic astir safeguarding their concern interests successful Karnataka,” Mr. Palaniswami alleged.
He urged the DMK authorities to instrumentality due measures to uphold the rights of the State. The Supreme Court’s reflection had created an accidental for the Centre to reappraisal the DPR for the project. The DMK did not enactment distant due arguments, and had suffered a large decision erstwhile it came to safeguarding the rights of the State implicit the Cauvery, helium said.
Dr. Anbumani said, “The Supreme Court verdict is dangerous, and is favourable to Karnataka.”
The DMK authorities should record a reappraisal petition, enactment distant beardown arguments, and safeguard the rights of the State, helium added.
