Chennai: The DMK has intensified its opposition to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu reservoir project, submitting notices in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to press for an urgent discussion during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which begins on July 20.
The party has urged the Centre to suspend regular business and take up the issue as a matter of urgent public importance, arguing that the project poses a serious threat to Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery waters and the livelihoods of lakhs of farmers in the state’s delta region.
In a notice submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker, DMK parliamentary party leader T.R. Balu said Karnataka should not be allowed to proceed with the Mekedatu project without Tamil Nadu’s consent. He asserted that any unilateral move would violate Tamil Nadu’s water rights and adversely affect irrigation and agriculture in the Cauvery delta.
The DMK also reiterated that the verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s directions on water sharing must be implemented in letter and spirit. The party called upon the Centre to intervene and ensure that the project does not move forward in violation of the existing legal framework.
In the Rajya Sabha, DMK MP Trichy Siva submitted a separate notice seeking a detailed discussion on the legal, environmental and agricultural implications of the proposed reservoir. He urged Parliament to deliberate on the project’s potential impact on inter-state water sharing and the interests of farmers dependent on the Cauvery river.
The Mekedatu project has remained a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with the latter consistently opposing the proposal over concerns that it could affect downstream water availability.
