Vijay urges PM Modi to reject Karnataka’s Mekedatu project

C Joseph Vijay urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reject Karnataka’s Mekedatu project proposal, alleging it violates Cauvery tribunal and Supreme Court rulings. He expressed concern over the project’s impact on Tamil Nadu farmers dependent on Cauvery waters

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday expressed surprise over the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the CWC entertaining Karnataka’s proposal for the Mekedatu project, without considering Tamil Nadu’s plea.

He also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct officials concerned to reject the DPR prepared by Karnataka, as it contravened the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and also the Supreme Court judgment.

---

Also, PM Modi should advise the Karnataka government not to take up any new project without getting the concurrence of co-basin states and not to violate the apex court judgment, he said.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Vijay said the announcement for the ‘Bhoomi Puja’ of the Mekedatu reservoir across Cauvery river and utterances of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have caused a lot of concern among the lakhs of farmers of Tamil Nadu, who depend on the Cauvery river for their livelihood.

“You may be well aware that a solution to the sensitive Cauvery water dispute was obtained after a long legal battle, lasting about three decades, and the judgment dated February 16, 2018, is under implementation,” the Chief Minister said.