Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu Congress President Manickam Tagore spar over the proposed reservoir's legality and impact.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu Congress President Manickam Tagore have engaged in a dispute regarding the proposed Mekedatu dam project. The disagreement surfaced after Shivakumar urged the Centre to speed up statutory clearances for the reservoir during an event in Mysuru on Friday, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to Moneycontrol, Shivakumar stated he was least bothered by criticisms, asserting that Karnataka has the right to build the dam while meeting its requirements to provide the agreed amount of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. He noted that the Supreme Court has ruled that the project can be built in Karnataka.
Manickam Tagore criticised the Chief Minister's stance, according to The Tribune, calling it a violation of the Supreme Court ruling and the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award. Tagore said that granting approval without the consent of Tamil Nadu is illegal and would harm farmers in the delta districts.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan also rejected the arguments, as reported by News18, stating that a state where a river originates cannot stop its flow. Elangovan claimed that the Cauvery Water Management Authority has not agreed to the construction.
The proposed reservoir is located in the Ramanagara district and is intended to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and generate 400 MW of power. Karnataka has maintained that the project will not compromise the water share allocated to Tamil Nadu.
