EPS accuses Karnataka of deliberate bid to deprive TN Cauvery water

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of pursuing a deliberate agenda to deny Tamil Nadu its rightful share of Cauvery water by moving ahead with steps to construct a dam at Mekedatu.

In a statement, he said the Karnataka government had formed a 30-member high-level officials committee to make arrangements for the dam project, which he described as an attempt to “turn Tamil Nadu into a desert”. He alleged that Chief Minister MK Stalin had failed to present strong legal arguments before the Cauvery Management Authority and the Supreme Court, resulting in the present situation.

Palaniswami said the DMK government had shown a lack of seriousness in defending Tamil Nadu’s interests, and claimed that every time the DMK came to power, surrendering the state’s rightful claims in the Cauvery dispute became “routine”. He accused the DMK leadership of betraying the people of Tamil Nadu to protect what he described as its “selfish interests and family-run political business”.

He urged the State government to take immediate steps, initiate strong legal action and firmly safeguard Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery.