The Tamil Nadu assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to refrain from granting approvals, including technical and environmental clearances, for Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project. The resolution also called for the constitution of a tribunal to address the inter-state water dispute, following a request made by Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
Resolution Details
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Vijay, objected to Karnataka's "unilateral move" to construct a dam across the Cauvery River. It stated that the proposal disregarded the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award of 2007 and the Supreme Court's 2018 order, and was pursued without the concurrence of the basin states or approval from the Union government. "Such an action is not at all acceptable," the resolution emphasized. It unanimously endorsed the measures taken by the Tamil Nadu government to prevent Karnataka's proposed project and safeguard the interests of the state's farmers.
Chief Minister's Remarks
Chief Minister Vijay said the state government 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 supported by TVK allies, Congress, VCK, Left parties, DMK, AIADMK, PMK, and DMDK.
Opposition Leaders' Statements
Udhayanidhi Stalin noted that the previous DMK government had urged the Union government 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 government. "As long as DMK was in power, the Karnataka government 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 governments, including securing a Supreme Court order in 2018 for the establishment of the Cauvery Water Management Authority. He criticized Karnataka's attempt to build a dam at Mekedatu with a storage capacity of 67 tmcft for drinking water, despite an earlier order allocating an additional 14.75 tmcft to meet Bengaluru's water needs, stating it aimed to turn Tamil Nadu into a desert. "It is condemnable that the Karnataka government 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 as historic. PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani warned that if a dam was built at Mekedatu, not a drop of water would reach Tamil Nadu. DMDK MLA Premallatha Vijayakanth emphasized the need to make Tamil Nadu self-sufficient in water.
Legal and Technical Arguments
The resolution noted that both the tribunal and the Supreme Court had observed 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 undertaken in the basin and that no additional quantity of water could be utilized. The assembly also urged the Central Water Commission not to examine, process, or approve the detailed project report submitted by the Karnataka government.
