Proposed Mekedatu project slammed by TN parties

Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the main Opposition DMK, yesterday slammed Karnataka’s proposed move to construct check dam at Mekedatu across River Cauvery in Karnataka. The parties urged the Tamil Nadu Government to take steps to prevent Karnataka from going ahead with its move. “The newly-formed AIADMK Government should immediately take up the issue with the Centre and prevent Karnataka’s proposed move,” said DMK Working President M.K. Stalin in a statement. Terming Karnataka’s decision as “unilateral,” Stalin said that DMK was of the opinion that the move would harm “relations between the two States.” CPI(M) Tamil Nadu Unit Secretary G. Ramakrishnan, while condemning the neighbouring State for taking steps to go ahead with its plan, demanded that the Centre should immediately intervene and prevent construction               of the new dam. “The party’s Executive Committee urges the Centre to expedite the steps to implement the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal,” Stalin added. Echoing similar views, CPI State Secretary V. Durai Manickam said, “The Chief Minister should convene a meeting comprising various political parties, farmers associations and press the Centre on the issue.” Claims that the project would meet the drinking water needs, of Bengaluru and other towns, that would arise in future in the Cauvery basin, Karnataka had proposed to construct check dams at Mekedatu across                        River Cauvery.