TN farmers demand all-party meet on Mekedatu dam issue

Representatives of the farmers associations called upon the Chief Minister to convene the meeting immediately after a group of farmers visiting the Mekedatu dam site found out about the dumping of construction material and commencing road laying work.

Cauvery Farmers Association general secretary PR Pandian has submitted a representation to the Tiruvarur District Collector V. Shantha on Thursday in which he called upon the Tamil Nadu government to convene the all-party meeting and also include farmers associations to exert pressure on the union government to prevent construction of the dam.

In the representation he mentioned that the Tamil Nadu government must immediately act especially after the group of farmers visiting the Mekedatu dam site raised red flags.

They want detailed discussion on the future course of action on Mekedatu issue.

The farmers associations' demand come after the Karnataka state opposed the National Green Tribunal(NGT), Southern bench order, to set up a joint committee of state and union government officials to submit a report on the alleged violations of norms at Mekedatu where a dam is proposed to be built across the Cauvery river.

The Karnataka government decided to challenge the NGT order on Thursday leading to Tamil Nadu famers' bodies to seek action from Stalin government.

Cauvery Rights Tribunal Committee coordinator P. Manivarasar told IANS: "The Chief Minister must immediately pay a visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprise him of the developments at the Mekedatu dam and urge him to withdraw the permission granted to Karnataka to do a detailed project report".

He adds, "The Tamil Nadu government must act as the Karnataka state has already moved an appeal against the NGT judgment and the government must convene a meeting of all political parties and the farmers association and lodge strong protest with the Union government in this regard."

A petition of the Tamil Nadu government of 2018 seeking a stay on the permission granted to Karnataka to prepare a detailed project report on Mekedatu dam is pending before the apex court.