CHENNAI: Taking strong exception to the Central committee for including Karnataka's proposal for grant of fresh Terms of Reference to Mekedatu balancing reservoir and drinking water project for discussion, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said the committee's action violates the notified Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the judgment of the Supreme Court.
In separate letters to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday, Mr. Palaniswami said he had already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24 seeking his personal intervention to deny permission to Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Niyamita's proposal for grant of Terms of Reference to obtain environmental clearance for Mekedatu project.
"However, it has been brought to my notice that the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro electric Projects functioning under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has included the proposal of Karnataka for grant of fresh Terms of Reference to Mekedatu project in its meeting scheduled to be held on 19.7.2019. The action of the Committee to include the proposal of Karnataka for discussion in the meeting is a violation of the Notified Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court," the CM said.
The TN Government has been conveying its strong objections and has been urging the Government of India to reject outright Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu project, as it violates the Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by the Supreme Court. Further, Karnataka has not obtained the prior concurrence of Tamil Nadu Government and also of other co-basin States, he argued.
"Cauvery basin being a deficit basin, construction of Mekedatu or any project in any place by upper riparian State will drastically affect the lower riparian State in getting its due share of water. The Government of Tamil Nadu has filed an Interlocutory Application before the Supreme Court against the proposal of Karnataka for constructing a reservoir and also a Contempt Petition against all concerned and the matter is pending in the Supreme Court," Mr. Palaniswami said.
He sought of the Ministers instructions to the Expert Appraisal Committee to withdraw the subject of grant of fresh Terms of Reference to Karnataka for Mekedatu project from the Agenda for the 25th meeting of the Committee and also a direction to it to desist from entertaining the proposal of Karnataka in future. "The present proposal may be rejected and returned to Karnataka," the CM urged.
