CHENNAI: Despite Tamil Nadu’s opposition, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydro-Electric Projects took up at its meeting on Friday Karnataka’s application to construct Mekedatu reservoir. Karnataka had submitted a Detailed Project Report and sought Terms of Reference for conducting environment impact assessment studies to obtain clearance from Union Environment Ministry.
An EAC member, to whom Express spoke, confirmed that Mekedatu proposal was deliberated in detail, but refused to comment on the outcome. The meeting was chaired by Sharad Kumar Jain, director of National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, besides Sharvan Kumar, director of Central Electricity Authority and NN Rai, director, Central Water Commission, along with 11 others.
Tamil Nadu government has been opposing the project tooth and nail. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to drop the Mekedatu proposal from EAC’s agenda. In the letter, Palaniswami said, “The action of the committee to include the proposal of Karnataka for discussion in the meeting is a violation of the Notified Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the judgement of the Supreme Court.
Tamil Nadu has been conveying its strong objections. Further, Karnataka has not obtained the prior concurrence of the Government of Tamil Nadu and of other co-basin States. Cauvery basin being a deficit basin, construction of Mekedatu or any project in any place by upper riparian State will drastically affect the lower riparian State in getting its due share of water,” he had said.
The State has filed an interlocutory application before the Supreme Court against the proposal and also a contempt petition against all concerned and the matter is pending in the Supreme Court. In January this year, Under Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Ananda Chandra claimed in an affidavit filed before Supreme Court that no approval will be granted until Karnataka resolves inter-State matters amicably with co-basin States of Cauvery basin.
Bill introduced to replace ordinance
Chennai: Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani on Friday introduced a Bill to replace the ordinance for upgrading Avadi municipality into a municipal corporation. He also introduced two Bills to replace the ordinances promulgated to extend the term of special officers for rural and urban local bodies. The DMK opposed these two Bills at the introductory stage itself.
‘Police commission will be constituted soon’
Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday informed the Assembly that a Police Commission will be constituted at the earliest. A proposal had already been received from the Director-General of Police and it was under consideration. He was replying to K Ponmudi of DMK, who asked whether the government will set up the commission as the personnel had several grievances.