PMK warns TN govt against losing Cauvery rights over Mekedatu dam

Chennai, Aug 30 (IANS) PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss has accused the Karnataka government of rushing ahead with the proposed Mekedatu dam and urged Tamil Nadu to act decisively to protect its rights over Cauvery water.

His remarks came after Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said his government would intensify efforts to construct the dam and would soon approach the Centre for approval.

Anbumani said the move was condemnable at a time when the project continued to face strong opposition from people in Tamil Nadu and environmental activists.

CM Shivakumar made the comments at the 111th birth anniversary celebrations of the late Sri Rajendra Swami of Suttur Mutt in Mysuru. He said the Mekedatu dam would benefit Karnataka’s farmers just as the Krishnaraja Sagar dam had.

Citing a Supreme Court ruling that he described as favourable to Karnataka, CM Shivakumar said the state would ask the Union government to permit construction.

Anbumani said the statement had exposed a major shift in Karnataka’s position. By claiming that Mekedatu would strengthen farmers, Shivakumar had effectively indicated that water stored in the reservoir could be used for irrigation, he argued.

This contradicted Karnataka’s earlier assurance that the project was intended only to supply drinking water and that no water would be diverted for agriculture.

The PMK leader said the latest remarks vindicated his party’s long-standing concern that Karnataka would use stored water and consequently reduce Cauvery flows to Tamil Nadu.

He maintained that the proposed irrigation use also departed from the objectives stated in the project’s detailed project report and, by itself, provided sufficient grounds for its rejection.

Anbumani called upon the Tamil Nadu government to place Karnataka’s latest position before the Union government and the Supreme Court without delay.

He also raised questions over the proposed reservoir’s size. While the project report reportedly estimated the submergence area at 5,000 hectares, or about 12,500 acres, CM Shivakumar had placed it at 5,400 hectares, or roughly 13,500 acres. Anbumani claimed the larger area could enable Karnataka to store more than the proposed 67 TMC of water.

Anbumani warned that the expanded reservoir could also cause greater damage to forests, wildlife and the surrounding ecosystem, and said Tamil Nadu must not allow the project to proceed through every available legal and constitutional avenue without delay.

–IANS

aal/dpb