All-party TN delegation to meet Union minister on dam issue

The delegation led by Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister and senior DMK leader S. Duraimurugan is meeting the Union Jal Shakthi minister to apprise him about the Karnataka government's move to construct a dam at Mekedatu in the Cauvery river. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had called a meeting with all political parties having representation in the state Assembly on July 12 and had passed a unanimous resolution demanding to stop the construction of the dam at Mekedatu by the Karnataka government. 

The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan had met the Union Jal Shakti Minister earlier and had communicated the matter to him. 

Representatives of the delegation other than S.Duraimurugan are: R.S.Bharathi (DMK), D. Jayakumar, (AIADMK), G.K. Mani(PMK), R.C. Paul Kanakaraj (BJP), M.H. Jawahirullah( MMK), T. Velmurugan (TVK), AKP Chinnaraj (KNMDK), Thol. Thirumavalavan (VCK), Vaiko (MDMK), N. Periasamy (CPI), K. Balakrishnan (CPI-M), and M. Jagan Moorthy (Puratchi Bharatham). 

Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, who is heading a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the union territory has also strongly objected to the construction of dam at Mekedatu over the Cauvery river stating that the dam would damage the water flow to the territory and farmers of several parts of Puducherry including Karaikal would be left high and dry if the dam is constructed. 

Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai had also extended support to the state government in opposing the Mekedatu dam and said that the party-state unit is for the farmers of the state and would not support Karnataka even though a BJP government is in power in that state.