Stalin asks PM to direct Cauvery Authority not to discuss Mekedattu

Chennai, June 13

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) not to discuss the Mekedattu dam issue.

Mekedattu has been a bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with the latter allocating Rs 1000 crore for the construction of a dam there, leading to several protests in Tamil Nadu including the passing of a unanimous resolution by the state Assembly against the project.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Stalin said that the CWMA was specifically constituted as per the verdict of the Supreme Court in May 2018 only to implement the apex court's February 16, 2018 order.

The considered view of Tamil Nadu is that the authority was constituted only to the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict and cannot be expanded to any other activity beyond this, he said, in a reference to the CWMA's decision to include the Mekedattu dam issue in its sixteenth meeting.

"This is legally untenable as it is violative of the verdict of the Supreme Court and not at all acceptable to Tamil Nadu. In addition to this, the matter is sub judice since three applications filed by Tamil Nadu on this issue are pending before the Supreme Court."

In the letter, Stalin also noted that Tamil Nadu has further filed an application in the Supreme Court on June 7 and this "involves critical questions on the role of CWMA, which can be clarified only by the Supreme Court. Hence we apprehensive that the CWMA's decision to rush up and discuss this issue, which is beyond its scope, even before our applications are heard by the Supreme Court is an attempt to subvert the earlier verdict of the court".

He also said that in a memorandum given to the Prime Minister on June 17, 2021, he had requested the Ministry of Jal Shakti be advised not to give any concurrence to proposal of Karnataka for constructing a reservoir at Mekedattu across the Cauvery.

He said that the CWMA's proposal to discuss the DPR of the Mekedatu project in its 16th meeting to be held on June 17, has caused great anguish among the farmers of Cauvery Delta in Tamil Nadu and pointed out that Tamil Nadu depended largely on the Cauvery for its drinking water and irrigation purposes.

Noting that the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on sharing of Cauvery waters in February 16, 2018 after a protracted and long-drawn legal battle, he said: "Although the quality of allocation is not up to our expectations, we are managing our needs with the allocated share, provided it is delivered as per the schedule."

Stalin said that this was a highly sensitive issue and that disruption in the schedule of allocation of Cauvery waters would affect the state badly.