Stalin urges Yediyurappa to drop Mekedatu project for the sake of Tamil Nadu-Karnataka ties

DMK chief MK Stalin has asked Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to stop the Mekedatu dam project on Cauvery as it’s construction could impair the relationship between the two states.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President and Tamil Nadu’s leader of opposition, MK Stalin, on Sunday urged Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa led BJP Government to drop the Mekedatu check-dam project planned on river Cauvery in Karnataka.

Proposed Mekedatu project on Cauvery is a flashpoint between the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (PTI Photo)

Two days after Karnakata government wrote to the Centre rejecting Tamil Nadu’s concerns over the dam as irrelevant, Stalin said its continuation could impact the cordial relationship between the two states and asked the Karnataka CM to drop the project.

“Karnataka should drop the Mekedatu project. If Karnakata erects a check dam in Mekedatu, it could affect the cordial relationships between both the states. Karnataka CM Yediyurappa is a senior leader. He should consider TN farmers position and should drop this project,” Stalin said in a statement.

Stalin also said the BJP government was accelerating the moves to build the Mekedatu dam and “it was not a welcome move in the federal structure.”

He further recalled the Supreme Court’s February 2, 2018 Judgement directing Karnataka to not implement projects impacting Tamil Nadu and other Cauvery recipient states.

The TN Government has already opposed the project in a letter to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar stating that construction of the new dam would cause environmental hazards. Hence, the ministry had sought Karnataka’s response to TN’s allegation.

Karnataka in its response to the Centre said that a planned hydro power plant along with the dam project will “actually ease” Karnataka’s ability to share Cauvery water with TN as per the directions of the Supreme Court.