Chief Minister urges PM to reject DPR on Mekedatu outright

The state government had “repeatedly” conveyed its “strong” objections to the Centre, Water Resources Ministry as well as the CWC against the project, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami wrote to Modi, recalling his earlier pleas.

“In the circumstances, I seek your kind personal intervention and request you to instruct the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Central Water Commission to reject outright and return the Detailed Project Report of the Mekedatu Project submitted by Karnataka,” Palaniswami told Modi.

He said the Karnataka government had informed the Supreme Court on January 21 that it has furnished the DPR to the CWC on January 18 for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir- cum-Drinking Water Project and requested to accord further clearances for it.

“The unilateral action of Karnataka proposing to construct a new reservoir at Mekedatu for which the Detailed Project Report is presented to the Central Water Commission is a clear violation of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court dated February 16, 2018,” Palaniswami said in the letter.

The Chief Minister recalled his government moving the apex court November last year with a plea to direct the CWC to withdraw the permission granted to Karnataka for preparing the DPR for the Mekedatu Project.

“Lakhs of farmers of Tamil Nadu dependent on Cauvery water are agitated that they will be deprived of their due share of water as per the judgment of the Supreme Court dated February 16, 2018, if Mekedatu or any such project is taken up in the Cauvery basin by upper riparian state,”he said.