Tamil Nadu Govt To Take Measures To Stall Mekedatu Dam Project Within Legal Framework: S Duraimurugan

Water Resource Minister has indicated that if Karnataka seeks a 'legal framework' to build Mekedatu dam, Tamil Nadu will follow the same along.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Water Resource Minister S Duraimurugan today said that the state government would take all measures to stop the Karnataka govt's Mekedatu dam project, "within the legal framework."

In a statement today, Duraimurugan said that the state has a strong objection over Karnataka Govt's plan to build a dam in Mekedatu or in any other place.

Referring to Stalin's letter, he said, In a letter to Karnataka chief minister, Tamil Nadu chief minister urged him not to pursue the Mekedatu dam project since it would jeopardize the interests of farmers who are dependent on Cauvery water to cultivate short-term kuruvai and long-term samba crop in lakhs of acres in the state," he said.

Duraimrugan was responding to Yediryuappa's statement in Bengaluru yesterday (July 6) that his government would implement the project "within the legal framework" and no one could stop it.

It is noteworthy that the Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa wrote a letter to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin stating not to oppose the Mekedatu project and invited the latter for a talk. However, M.K. Stalin wrote back reiterating the State’s position and requesting him not to pursue the project across the Cauvery.