Govt., Opposition on same page on Mekedatu: CM

Dam should not be constructed, says Palaniswami

Karnataka : Ramanagara : 07/12/2018 : The View of the spot which is actually called the Mekedatu which is 1.5 ahead the place where reservoir is identified by Karnataka Government for the project of construction of balancing reservoir cum drinking water in Ramanagara District on Friday 07 December 2018. Photo : Sudhakara Jain / The Hindu.

The AIADMK and the DMK are on the same page on the issue of the construction of a dam at Mekedatu and the ruling party has been regularly insisting with the Centre that the project should not be allowed, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said.

Responding to DMK president M.K. Stalin who sought to know why the government had not sought a stay on the issue of the Thenpennai river and Mekedatu, Mr. Palaniswami said a case was pending with regard to the Thenpennai river.

He said the State government had sought an interim stay in the Supreme Court.

“On the Mekedatu issue, we have been insisting that no dam should be constructed. If the dam is constructed, Tamil Nadu will turn into a barren land. Hence we are closely watching this issue and are constantly insisting to the Centre that this should not be constructed,” he said. The Chief Minister said the State had argued that environmental clearance should not be given to the project and that it had filed a petition seeking a stay. “Your intention and our intentions on the Mekedatu issue are the same and we are very clear that the dam should not be constructed”, he said.