Mekedatu dam row: AIADMK warns of protests against bid to make TN a desert

Chennai: The opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Thursday warned neighbouring Karnataka of protests if it went ahead with the construction of the Mekedatu dam project, which the party sees as an attempt to transform TN into a desert.

Taking strong exception to the reported remark of Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar on going ahead with the reservoir project across the Cauvery river, leader of the opposition K Palaniswami said the neighbouring state should not act against the interest of the lower riparian states.

“As per the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, Karnataka has no right to prevent or alter the natural course of a river. Even the final verdict on the Cauvery water dispute is clear that no irrigation project should be taken up without the approval of the lower riparian states,” Palaniswami said in a statement here.

Being so, the announcement of the Congress government in Karnataka went against the interest of Tamil Nadu. Any move to build the reservoir project across the Cauvery at Mekedatu would only assay to transform Tamil Nadu, dependent on Cauvery water for irrigation and drinking, into a desert, he claimed.

“There’s no point in depending on the ruling DMK here on the issue. The AIADMK strongly condemns the attempt of Karnataka Congress government to build a dam at Mekedatu and warns the Karnataka state government that the AIADMK will organise protests to prevent Tamil Nadu from turning into a desert,” Palaniswami said.

Meanwhile, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, too condemned the attempt to build the dam and said the final verdict in the Cauvery disputes is clear that no construction should be taken up across the Cauvery river without the approval of Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu government too strongly opposed Shivakumar's reported remarks on his state going ahead with the construction of a reservoir across river Cauvery at Mekedatu, expressing surprise over his 'teasing' the neighbour within days of coming to power.

State Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan on Wednesday sought to remind Shivakumar that the proposed project in Karnataka found no mention in the order of the Cauvery disputes tribunal or the Supreme Court's final verdict.