Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday chaired a high-level meeting on Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery and is expected to announce the state’s next course of action within the next 10 days, minister for energy resources and law R Nirmal Kumar said.
Latest Update
“Within another week or 10 days, he will release the details of what specific actions we are going to take on the Mekedatu issue,” Kumar said.
Details
The meeting was attended by ministers, subject experts and lawyers who have been handling the legal battle over the project for nearly 15 years.
Briefing reporters at the Secretariat, Kumar said, “Today, as a first step, a consultation meeting was held with all the relevant experts and lawyers who have been fighting this legal battle for nearly 15 years. Based on a few suggestions raised during the meeting, the decision for the next phase will be made within a few weeks.”
He said the chief minister would issue the necessary orders after a decision is taken.
source
Ministers N Anand (rural development and water resources) and Aadhav Arjuna (public works and sports development), Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar and senior government officials also attended the meeting.
On July 19, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing Karnataka’s proposal to construct the Mekedatu dam and expressed support for all measures taken by the state government on the issue.
Vijay moved the resolution, which received support from opposition parties, including AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin.
The Tamil Nadu Congress also backed the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government’s stand in the Assembly, despite the Congress being in power in Karnataka.
Tamil Nadu has opposed Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu reservoir for nearly 15 years, arguing that it would adversely affect the livelihood of farmers, particularly in the Cauvery delta region.
