TN to approach SC against NGT order on Mekedatu Dam

PTI, Aug 23, 2021, 7:35 PM IST

Chennai/Bengaluru: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday said the State would go on an appeal before the Supreme Court to challenge the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the Mekedatu Dam issue.

Detailing the action taken by it to prevent neighbouring Karnataka from going ahead with its proposal to construct the dam, a policy note tabled in the Tamil Nadu Assembly by Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said the Tamil Nadu government, taking note of media reports of Karnataka commencing the preliminary work at the site, had, on April 27, requested the Central government to advise Karnataka not to take any action on the Mekedatu project.

In the meanwhile, the NGT (southern zone), on its own, took up the issue and ordered a committee to be set up to go into the question of whether any construction activity was started without obtaining necessary clearance and to assess the damages, if any, that would be caused to the environment. The NGT asked the committee to submit its report.

”However, based on the review application filed by Karnataka, the NGT, New Delhi, disposed the matter, citing that the matter is before the Supreme Court vide its order dated June 17,” the policy note said.

“Since, the NGT has disposed the matter without giving an opportunity to Tamil Nadu to file a reply, the government of Tamil Nadu has decided to make an appeal in the Supreme Court against the order of the NGT dated June 17. A civil appeal in this regard will be filed soon,” it said.

The policy note further said the Tamil Nadu government has been conveying its strong objections to Karnataka and the Central government on the proposed new reservoir at Mekedatu across the Cauvery. Also, the government opposed letting out of sewage into the Cauvery and Pennaiyar rivers by Karnataka.

On the inter-State water issues with Kerala, the note said parleys would be held at the Additional Chief Secretary-level in the State capital Thiruvananthapuram soon to resolve the issues.

Meanwhile today, Duraimurugan said in the Assembly that the Water Resources Department would be modernised and updated as was announced in the Budget recently.