Bommai’s remarks on TN CM unacceptable, we have no intent to politicise Mekedatu: Minister

PTI, Jun 15, 2022, 7:40 PM IST

Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan on Wednesday took strong exception to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on the Mekedatu dam issue and said his remarks demeaned Chief Minister M K Stalin’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hitting out at the Karnataka Chief Minister for terming Stalin’s letter as a ”political stunt”, Duraimurugan said the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project concerned the basic livelihood problem of Tamil Nadu farmers.

”The Tamil Nadu government has no intention or compulsion to politicise the Mekedatu issue and demeaning Stalin’s letter to Modi as political stunt is unacceptable,” Duraimurugan said in a statement here.

Reacting to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s letter (June 13) urging the Prime Minister to advise the chairman of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to desist from discussing the Mekedatu dam project at its 16th meeting on June 17, as a ”political stunt,” Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai on Tuesday had claimed that the neighbouring state’s demand does not have any locus standi.

”It was strange,” Duraimurugan said commenting about Bommai’s claim that Tamil Nadu did not participate in any of the 15 meetings of CWMA held so far.

”This only shows that Karnataka government officials have not apprised their Chief Minister with correct facts. Tamil Nadu’s participation has been recorded at the CWMA meetings,” the TN minister said.

The minister asked Karnataka to respect the Constitution and principles of federalism and abide by the Supreme Court orders without any violation.

Karnataka’s decision to construct a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu to impound 67.6 tmc ft water was in violation of the Supreme Court orders, he claimed.

Duraimurugan further pointed out that the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal had fixed the quantum of water and the same was upheld by the apex court.

Also, the Mekedatu dam issue did not figure in the tribunal’s final award, he said and urged Karnataka to refrain from its decision to construct the dam as the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.