Chennai: Tamil Nadu assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution urging Union govt not to grant approvals, including technical and environmental clearances, for Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam project. The resolution also sought the constitution of a tribunal to resolve the inter-state water dispute, following a request made by Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin to chief minister C Joseph Vijay.The resolution, moved by the chief minister, objected to Karnataka’s “unilateral move” to construct a dam across the Cauvery. It said the proposal disregarded the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final award of 2007 and the Supreme Court’s 2018 order and had been pursued without the concurrence of the basin states or approval from the Union govt. “Such an action is not at all acceptable,” the resolution said. It unanimously endorsed the measures taken by the Tamil Nadu govt to prevent Karnataka’s proposed project and safeguard the interests of the state’s farmers.Vijay said the state govt had taken necessary legal steps to seek an exclusive tribunal to resolve the Mekedatu dispute under the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956. “The right to river water is one of our most important rights. We all bear the responsibility of safeguarding it,” he said, urging members to rise above party differences and present a united stand in Tamil Nadu’s interest. The resolution was backed by TVK allies, Congress, VCK and Left parties, besides DMK, AIADMK, PMK and DMDK.Udhayanidhi said the previous DMK govt had urged Union govt in March to constitute a separate tribunal for the dispute. He suggested that, instead of merely forwarding the resolution to the Centre, a delegation of all MLAs and MPs should meet the Union govt. “As long as DMK was in power, the Karnataka govt did not submit a detailed project report on the Mekedatu dam. This is because our leadership had boldly registered Tamil Nadu’s opposition,” he said.AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami recalled measures taken by previous AIADMK govts, including securing a Supreme Court order in 2018 for the establishment of the Cauvery Water Management Authority. Karnataka’s attempt to build a dam at Mekedatu with a storage capacity of 67tmcft for drinking water despite an earlier order allocating an additional 14.75tmcft to meet Bengaluru’s water needs, was aimed at turning Tamil Nadu into a desert, he said. “It is condemnable that the Karnataka govt unilaterally allocated funds for the project and submitted a revised DPR to the Centre,” he said.Congress member and minister S Rajesh Kumar condemned Karnataka’s unilateral action, saying it was against the law and would take away the rights of the people of Tamil Nadu. “Congress will always stand firm in protecting the rights and livelihood of the farmers of Tamil Nadu and the Cauvery delta,” he said. VCK member and minister Vanni Arasu described the resolution moved by the chief minister as historic. PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani said that if a dam was built at Mekedatu, not a drop of water would reach Tamil Nadu. DMDK MLA Premallatha Vijayakanth emphasised the need to make Tamil Nadu self-sufficient in water.The resolution said both the tribunal and the Supreme Court had noted that the Cauvery basin was a deficit basin and that the available water had already been apportioned among the states. It argued that no new project could be taken up in the basin and that no additional quantity of water could be utilised.The assembly also urged Central Water Commission not to examine, process or approve the detailed project report submitted by the Karnataka govt.
