CHENNAI: Days after Karnataka renewed its efforts to get the approval of the Central government for building a reservoir across Cauvery at Mekedatu, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Thursday, reiterated Tamil Nadu’s stand on the issue and urged Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Union Jal Sakthi Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, to reject Karnataka’s proposal outright. He also requested them to take immediate action in the matter.
The chief minister, in his letter to both union ministers, pointed out that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court had already found that the existing storage facilities available in the Cauvery basin, were adequate for storing and distributing water to the lower riparian States as per the monthly schedule prescribed by it.
“Therefore, the proposal of Karnataka to build a reservoir is ex-facie untenable and ought to be rejected outright. Further, the concurrence of Tamil Nadu and other co-basin States has not been obtained for the Project,” Palaniswami added.
The chief minister also recalled that Tamil Nadu had filed a Miscellaneous Application before the Supreme Court against the proposal of Karnataka for constructing a reservoir and also a contempt petition against all concerned, and the matters were pending in the SC.
Pointing out that the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects in the meeting held on July 19, deferred the proposal of Karnataka’s Mekedatu project, the chief minister said, “Now, Karnataka has again approached the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects, seeking approval of Terms of Reference for Mekedatu project.
“The TN government once again reiterates its strong objections to Karnataka’s proposal, as it has no right to construct any reservoir on an inter-State river without consent of the lower riparian State, ie, TN,” he added.