CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that no statutory or administrative approval is granted to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project without the consent of the lower riparian states.In a letter to Modi, Vijay said the proposed 67.16tmcft reservoir across the Cauvery, near the inter-state border, could obstruct the river’s flow into Tamil Nadu and affect the monthly releases stipulated by the Supreme Court. He urged the Prime Minister to direct the ministries of jal shakti and environment, forest and climate change not to conduct site inspections or technical evaluations or grant statutory or administrative clearances for the project without the consent of the lower riparian states.Vijay expressed concern over reports that Karnataka chief minister had held meetings with officials of the Union ministries on obtaining clearance for the project’s detailed project report. He referred to reports that a team of Union govt officials had visited the proposed dam site. “Anxious farmers of Tamil Nadu view the site visit as an indication of tacit movement on a project that would jeopardise their very livelihood,” Vijay said.He sought a deferment of any further administrative or technical action arising from the reported site inspection and urged the Centre to advise Karnataka against proceeding with the project without the consent of the co-basin states.Recalling his earlier letter to the Prime Minister in July, Vijay reiterated that no approval should be granted unless the project was found to be consistent with the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s judgment.He said Tamil Nadu had approached the National Green Tribunal in May, while the state assembly unanimously passed a resolution in June opposing any clearance for the project. The state govt moved the Supreme Court in August, challenging guidelines issued by the Union ministry of jal shakti for preparing detailed project reports for irrigation and multipurpose projects exclusively in the Cauvery basin. The matter is pending.Vijay said Tamil Nadu’s farmers, particularly those in the Cauvery delta, were already facing difficulties during the deficit water year. He alleged that Karnataka had failed to release Tamil Nadu’s due share of Cauvery water even on a pro-rata basis.
