Reiterating its opposition to Karnataka’s proposal for a Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water Project at Mekedatu across the Cauvery, Tamil Nadu on Thursday urged the Centre not to entertain the proposal and to reject it.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami wrote to Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change Prakash Javadekar and Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in this regard.
“The government of Tamil Nadu once again reiterates its strong objections to the project proposal of Karnataka, as it has no right to construct any reservoir on an inter-State river without the consent of the lower riparian State i.e. Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Palaniswami contended.
The Chief Minister also requested both the Union Ministers to instruct their respective departments to issue instructions to the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects not to entertain Karnataka’s proposal.
Karnataka has submitted a Detailed Project Report seeking grant of Terms of Reference to conduct EIA/EMP Report for Mekedatu Project.
Mr. Palaniswami also underlined Tamil Nadu’s earlier objections to the project, as it was “against the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) and the judgment of the Supreme Court dated February 16, 2018.”
The CWDT and the Supreme Court have found that the existing storage facilities available in the Cauvery basin were adequate for storing and distributing water to the lower riparian States as per the monthly schedule prescribed by it, he recalled.
“Therefore, the proposal of Karnataka to build a reservoir is ex-facie untenable and ought to be rejected outright. Further, the concurrence of Tamil Nadu and of other co-basin States has not been obtained for the project,” Mr. Palaniswami contended.
Tamil Nadu has filed a Miscellaneous Application before the Supreme Court against the proposal of Karnataka for constructing a reservoir and also a contempt petition against all concerned and the matters are pending in the Supreme Court.
The Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects in the meeting held in July this year had deferred Karnataka’s proposal. But, it applied afresh and hence Tamil Nadu reiterated its opposition.
