The Mekedatu Dam in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has once again come under the spotlight as Tamil Nadu's LoP and DMK MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin have questioned the Tamil Nadu government's approach to the contentious project.
He urged the Tamil Nadu government to call an all-party meeting and rally behind Karnataka's Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
Udhayanidhi Stalin said Karnataka is still moving forward in pursuing the Mekedatu dam and therefore it is essential for Tamil Nadu to come together to address the situation.
And just as Karnataka has been politically united on the issue, Tamil Nadu should also have political parties come together to defend the interests of the state, especially those of farmers who depend on Cauvery river water.
Udhayanidhi said leaders from all political spheres of Tamil Nadu have repeatedly demanded that the government hold an all-party meeting to come up with a common strategy. But he questioned why the state government has so far not held such a meeting despite the growing fears over the project.
The Mekedatu dam has been a politically sensitive issue for years because Tamil Nadu fears the proposed reservoir in Karnataka will affect the downstream flow of Cauvery river water.
Karnataka, on the other hand, argues that the project is designed to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and generate hydroelectric power and is within the legal framework governing Cauvery water sharing.
Udhayanidhi also pointed out that there were some contradictory statements made by the ministers in the Tamil Nadu government. He said the Agriculture Minister had earlier said that Chief Minister Vijay might visit Karnataka on the issue, while another minister said that the matter was still under consideration. Karnataka Chief Minister commented that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister should not visit Karnataka on the issue.
Udhayanidhi asked whether the government planned to hold an all-party meeting and if the Chief Minister was going to visit Karnataka to meet with Karnataka on the issue. He said in a letter: “The public wants to know what the government will do about one of the state’s biggest inter-state water disputes in terms of how the government will respond to this issue, and the public wants the government to be clear about its approach to solve it."
In addition to the Mekedatu issue, Udhayanidhi also expressed concern about election promises on farm loan waivers. He told the government that it had assured farmers they would receive the loan waiver after it became government.
If more time is needed to fulfill the promise, he said, the government should communicate the expected timeline rather than being mute.
The Mekedatu project continues to generate political debate in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka argues that the project is vital for the future generation of drinking water while Tamil Nadu feels a new reservoir can affect its rightful share of Cauvery water.
As political pressure is mounting, the pressure for an all-party agreement and greater transparency will only increase in the coming weeks.
