Chief Minister Vijay has written to the Prime Minister urging the Centre to uphold Tamil Nadu’s rights in the Mekedatu dam issue and protect the interests of farmers dependent on the Cauvery.
In the letter, he said the Karnataka government has announced that it will conduct a ‘Bhoomi Pooja’ for the Mekedatu reservoir across the Cauvery, which he described as a direct violation of the Supreme Court verdict and the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final order. He noted that public statements by Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister have heightened anxiety among lakhs of Tamil Nadu farmers.
Vijay recalled that the Cauvery dispute was settled after more than three decades of legal battle and that the Supreme Court’s February 2, 2018 judgment is currently being implemented. He said the Mekedatu project does not figure in the list of schemes permitted by the tribunal, a position he said was also affirmed by the Supreme Court.
He argued that planning any new project across the Cauvery or its tributaries—other than those specifically permitted in the final award—would amount to interference with the judgment. He pointed to Karnataka’s proposal for a new Mekedatu project near the inter-state border with a capacity of 67.16 TMC, calling it a clear breach of the ruling and also a violation of prevailing environmental laws.
The Chief Minister expressed surprise that the Union Jal Shakti Ministry and the Central Water Commission are examining Karnataka’s proposal without considering Tamil Nadu’s objections. He urged the Prime Minister to direct officials to reject the detailed project report and to instruct Karnataka not to proceed with any new project without obtaining consent from downstream states and without violating the award in any manner.
