Chennai, Nov 14 Strongly condemning Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for pushing the “controversial” Mekedatu dam project in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, TNCC president Manickam Tagore on Saturday warned that the move could turn the Cauvery Delta into a desert.
Accusing the central government of “blatant bias”, Tagore, in a statement urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to remain vigilant and intensify legal measures to prevent the project from being implemented.
He said that addressing a gathering in Mysuru in the presence of Modi, Shivakumar claimed that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Karnataka regarding the construction of the Mekedatu dam and requested central government approval.
Pointing out that Tamil Nadu has already approached the Supreme Court concerning the inter-state dispute, Tagore said Karnataka CM’s remarks undermined Tamil Nadu’s interests and violate the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and Supreme Court verdicts secured after a 50-year struggle.
The TNCC chief said, as per the rulings of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu’s legal entitlement of 177.25 TMC of water comprises 60 TMC from the Kabini dam, 52 TMC from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam, and 80 TMC derived from Karnataka’s unregulated catchment areas via rainwater up to Biligundulu, located 200 kilometers away, where the water-gauge station is situated.
“However, the Karnataka government rarely releases the mandated quantum of water on schedule, and Tamil Nadu has to fight through various measures to secure its share,” he said adding “Tamil Nadu has fiercely opposed Karnataka’s plan to build the 67.15 TMC capacity Mekedatu dam just 4 kilometers above Biligundulu on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, waging a relentless legal battle in the Supreme Court.”
Tagore claimed that the construction of the Mekedatu dam would block the 80 TMC of unregulated catchment rainwater that Tamil Nadu is legally entitled to receive, effectively paving the way for turning the Cauvery Delta region into a desert.
Terming Shivakumar’s assertion that the Mekedatu dam will cause no harm to Tamil Nadu as “entirely baseless”, Tagore said, “the Tribunal and Supreme Court verdicts explicitly state that Karnataka must not undertake any construction on the Cauvery or attempt to obstruct water destined for Tamil Nadu without the consent of the basin states”.
According to him, proceeding with the Mekedatu project is a blatant violation of judicial rulings—an action that Tamil Nadu will under no circumstances permit.
He urged CM Vijay to take robust legal steps to build upon the existing efforts of the Tamil Nadu government to successfully block the construction of the dam at Mekedatu.
(PTI News)
