CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government on Monday said it can't hold any talks with Karnataka on building a new dam on Cauvery River at Mekedatu. It has instead appealed to the neighbouring state to give up its proposal to build the dam as it violates the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the inter-state river water sharing dispute.
Responding to the recent letter of Karnataka Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar, addressed to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami seeking his audience to discuss the Mekedatu issue, Tamil Nadu Law Minister CVe Shanmugam on Monday clearly indicated that there was no possibility for holding talks on Mekedatu issue.
“The request of Karnataka government to discuss the Mekedatu project with Tamil Nadu is an attempt to impede the proceedings pending on the Application filed on December 30 by Tamil Nadu and also the Contempt Proceedings initiated against him (Shivakumar) and others in the SC on December 5 and the matter has now become sub-judice,” Shanmugam said in his reply to Shivakumar.
The Tamil Nadu Law Minister said that the Karnataka government had, in violation of the judgment of the SC, obtained permission from the Central Water Commission to go ahead for preparation of a DPR for the Mekedatu Project, without informing and getting the concurrence of Tamil Nadu and of other co-basin States. Besides, Karnataka did not inform this to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), an authority established for the implementation of the decision of the Tribunal as modified by the SC.
The Tamil Nadu Law Minister urged Karnataka Water Resources Minister not to proceed in any manner with the preparation of a DPR for Mekedatu Project or take up any construction activities in any place in the Cauvery Basin of Karnataka, without the prior consent of the Tamil Nadu government.
“Any construction or even preparation of a DPR for construction of any new reservoir/project is a clear violation of the judgment of the SC. Hence, I request you to desist from preparation of DPR for Mekedatu project. I also request the Karnataka government to comply with the judgment of the SC dated February 16 in letter and spirit,” Shanmugam added.