Karnataka will respect the Supreme Court on the Mekedatu dam project
across River Cauvery, which would be more beneficial to Tamil Nadu, its Deputy Chief Minister
D K Shivakumar said on Tuesday.
Talking to reporters after visiting the CNG Bio gas facility and inspecting the solid waste management
being implemented by the Greater Chennai Corporation, he said the Mekedatu dam project would be
more beneficial for Tamil Nadu than Karnataka.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project right from its inception on the ground that several village
which depend on Cauvery water for irrigation would become a desert.
It has also filed petitions in the Supreme Court and also urged the CWMA not to give the consent
for the Mekedatu project without the consent of the lower riparian states.
Apart from adopting resolutions in the State Assembly, the TN government also wrote several letters
to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Jal Shakthi Ministry not to give any clearance for the project.
The Tamil Nadu government also ruled out any talks with Karnataka on the issue as it would not serve any purpose and hence the state has moved the Supreme Court.
To a question, Mr Shivakumar said the rain gods have helped both the states as TN received copious
inflow recently due to heavy rains in catchment areas of Karnataka.
He said the Mekedatu dam project was meant for Karnataka. It will benefit more for Tamil Nadu than
Karnataka.
“There is no need to talk about water release as surplus waters from Karnataka were released due to
good storage level in Karnataka reservoirs”, he said, adding, Karnataka would respect the Supreme
court orders on the issue.
He also exuded confidence that rain gods would help both the states.
He said he had come to Chennai with a 15-member official team to inspect the solid waste management and see how CNG was produced.
Congratulating the TN government, he said he has come to study the Chennai model for implementing it in Karnataka.
Mr Shivakumar also met Sports Welfare and Youth Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin
and described it as a courtesy call.
