Talks with K’taka on Mekedatu suicidal: Minister Duraimurugan
The project aimed to build a balancing reservoir to store 67 tmc of water, generate 400 MW of electricity and supply drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring locality.
DMK general secretary Duraimurugan
CHENNAI: State Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan on Friday categorically rejected the possibility of bilateral talks with the Karnataka government over the Mekedatu dam project and said that holding talks over the issue amounts to “suicide.”
Holding talks over the issue is not appropriate for Tamil Nadu and it is akin to suicide, said Duraimurugan while responding to a question over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion during his recent meeting with Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar over the issue. The Karnataka government has been pushing for the dam project at Mekedatu.
The project aimed to build a balancing reservoir to store 67 tmc of water, generate 400 MW of electricity and supply drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring localities. However, TN has been vehemently opposing the project that it would rob off their rights over Cauvery Water and jeopardise the livelihood of the farmers in the Delta region.
Duraimurugan continued that if Tamil Nadu agreed for the talks, it would nullify the case before the Supreme Court. “If this issue goes to the SC, it will take a couple of years. In such a situation, the Karnataka government might agree for a talk and bring the case to conclusion. But, again, Karnataka will evade and it will not invite Tamil Nadu for talks,” he said, alluding that taking a legal course of action is the best bet for the lower riparian state.
“We held talks with the Karnataka government for 38 times. Former chief minister Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) held talks with his counterpart JH Patel in the presence of then Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and the talks went for three days. But, it did not fetch the desired result. Hence, the issue had been taken to the Union government,” Duraimurugan said, recalling the chronology of the decades-old water dispute while talking to reporters in Vellore.
Later, PM VP Singh promised to constitute a tribunal to find an amicable solution to the issue between the two southern states, he further added.
