Vijay set to take Tamil Nadu’s Mekedatu objections to Delhi

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 November over Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam proposal.

• Vijay has urged the Centre to withhold permission without Tamil Nadu’s consent; Karnataka disputes the need for such approval.

• Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has sought central clearances, while Tamil Nadu has reiterated its opposition.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 16 November to raise objections to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam, as the two states harden their positions over the Cauvery project.

The anticipated meeting follows Vijay’s 7 November letter urging Modi to ensure that the Centre does not permit the project without Tamil Nadu’s consent. The chief minister had flagged concerns about its potential impact on the state’s water availability.

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has rejected the argument that his government requires another state’s permission to build a dam within its territory.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar claimed that the Supreme Court had allowed Karnataka to proceed, provided it fulfilled its water-release obligations. He said the state would honour its annual commitment to release 177 thousand million cubic feet of water to Tamil Nadu.

Shivakumar also argued that the reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu by storing water that could be used during droughts. He called for cooperation instead of confrontation and said he would ask Vijay to send a delegation to Karnataka to examine the proposal firsthand.

Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N. Anand rejected Karnataka’s position, maintaining that his government would oppose the dam under all circumstances.

The political confrontation sharpened during Modi’s Karnataka visit to inaugurate projects worth Rs 15,600 crore. Addressing a gathering in the Prime Minister’s presence, Shivakumar sought central backing for Mekedatu and reiterated his claim that a Supreme Court verdict had cleared the way for construction.

He requested the environmental and forest clearances needed for the project and asserted that nobody could prevent Karnataka from building the reservoir.

Shivakumar said Karnataka’s BJP and National Democratic Alliance leaders supported the proposal. He added that an additional 5,400 hectares had been identified to compensate for forest land required for the project, with related work progressing.

Vijay’s proposed meeting with Modi would take Tamil Nadu’s objections directly to the Centre, whose decisions on the requested clearances remain central to the dispute.

With IANS inputs