TN CM seeks withdrawal of DPR for Karnataka’s Cauvery dam
28 Jan 2019
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Planiswami has called for a withdrawal of the permission given to Karnataka for a detailed project report (DPR) on a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
“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,” said Palaniswami.
The unilateral action of the Karnataka government proposing to construct a new reservoir at Mekedatu and for which the DPR was presented to the Central Water Commission, was a clear violation of the Supreme Court judgement of February 2018, he pointed out in his letter
According to him, “lakhs and 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 judgement of the Supreme Court dated February 16, 2018, if Mekedatu or any such project is taken up in the Cauvery basin by upper riparian states,” said the Tamil Nadu chief minister.
His 92-page memorandum to Modi also sought cancellation of permission given to the Kerala government for conducting a survey of a new dam in Mullaiperiyar.
Additionally, Palaniswami also sought conferment of ‘Bharat Ratna’ on two former chief ministers of the state, C N Annadurai and J Jayalalithaa. It also sought regional air connectivity under the Udan scheme for three cities in the state – Salem, Hosur and Neyveli.
The chief minister also sought Modi’s help in protecting the fireworks sector in the state, which provided jobs to 800,000 workers.