Mekedatu dam row: TN Assembly adopts resolution seeking Centre's intervention

Chennai: A day ahead of opposition-backed farmers bandh over Mekedatu row, Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday adopted a unanimous resolution urging Centre to rein in Karnataka from going ahead with its plan to build the dam across inter-state river Cauvery.

"This House urges the Centre to take immediate steps to stop preparation of a Detailed Project Report to build new dam in Mekedatu by Karnataka," the resolution moved by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and adopted unanimously said.

On the occasion, Panneerselvam urged all Members of Parliament from the state to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and give him the copy of the resolution and convey the state's stand and concerns over Karnataka's move.

The resolution also wanted the Centre to render appropriate advice to Karnataka that "it should not take any steps for any project in Mekedatu like a dam or reservoir without the nod of Tamil Nadu."

Urging the Union Government to immediately set up Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority, the resolution said till the board was constituted, Karnataka should not go ahead with the project without Tamil Nadu's nod.

On December 5 last year, the assembly had passed a similar resolution urging the Centre to not grant clearance for any dams by Karnataka and pressed for formation of the CMB.

Protesting Karnataka's move, farmers associations in the state have given a call for a state-wide bandh for tomorrow, which is being backed by all major opposition parties, including DMK, PMK, MDMK, Congress and TMC.

The farmers collective has also urged the Tamil Nadu government to support the bandh call.

Karnataka in its 2015-16 budget presented recently has made financial allocation for a Detailed Project Report for the dam in Mekedatu.

The Chief Minister had last week written to the Prime Minister citing the financial allocation and wanted Modi to advise Karnataka to not take up any project across the inter-state river without Tamil Nadu's consent.

The state is opposing Karnataka's move on the ground that building new dam would amount to gross violation of the final order of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal as it would affect the flow of water to Tamil Nadu.