DHARMAPURI: PMK leader and Rajya Sabha member Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday called for a youth mobilisation, similar to the 2017 pro-jallikattu protests, to stop Karnataka’s move to build a dam across the Cauvery river in Mekedatu. Anbumani launched a public awareness march from Biligundlu — the entry point of the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu — to highlight what he said were the dangers posed by Karnataka’s move to construct a dam at Mekedatu.He appealed to people across Tamil Nadu to recognise the gravity of the threat. He warned that if the dam was constructed, even the wastewater currently reaching Tamil Nadu would be blocked, turning the delta districts into barren land. “This is not just a delta issue; it will affect Coimbatore, Ramanathapuram, Chennai and Kanyakumari. If the delta is destroyed, the entire state will suffer,” he said while speaking to reporters before commencing the march.Warning of severe drinking water shortage, the PMK leader said projects such as the Hogenakkal combined water scheme, Ramanathapuram water scheme, Melur combined water scheme and Mettur surplus water scheme would collapse if a was built at Mekedatu.Highlighting the ecological impact of the dam, Anbumani said the proposed site covered 12,500 acres of dense forest inhabited by elephants, tigers and other species. “Destroying this forest for a dam is against nature and environment,” he cautioned, adding that experts warned of earthquake risks similar to those seen in China after the construction of large dams.Anbumani said Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery irrigation area had shrunk from 29 lakh acres in 1974 to 20 lakh acres now, while Karnataka’s had been expanded from 6.8 lakh acres to 21 lakh acres. “If Mekedatu dam is built, Karnataka’s irrigation will increase by another 10 lakh acres, while Tamil Nadu’s delta districts will become deserts,” he said.He criticised Karnataka for repeatedly violating water-sharing agreements and Supreme Court directives. He accused Karnataka chief minister D K Shivakumar of politicising the issue ahead of the 2028 assembly elections in that state. He said the Tamil Nadu govt must pursue continuous legal action, as in the Mullaperiyar case, and not rely on setting up new tribunals.He urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to intervene. “Rahul Gandhi should talk to the Congress chief minister in Karnataka and stop this project,” Anbumani said. “Rahul Gandhi raised his voice for environmental issues in the Andaman Islands. He must also speak up on the Karnataka–Tamil Nadu environmental crisis,” he said.Anbumani said Tamil Nadu’s only recourse lay in courts and environmental tribunals.
