Do not construct Mekedatu dam before SC order: Duraimurugan

CHENNAI: Replying to the statement of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan on Wednesday asked him not to proceed with the construction of Mekedatu dam before the Supreme Court clears the deck.

"At a time when the Mekedatu issue is pending in the Supreme Court, taking efforts to construct Mekedatu is illegal. I urge the Karnataka Chief Minister not to attempt the construction of the dam before the Supreme Court provides the solution,” said Duraimurugan, in a statement.

Basavaraj Bommai, on Tuesday, condemned the Tamil Nadu government claiming that State representatives have not attended any one of the 15 meetings of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and has no locus standi to comment on the issue. Bommai also criticised the letter written by Chief Minister MK Stalin to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Mekedatu issue as a political stunt.

Taking exception from the comments of Bommai, Duraimurugan said that officials have given misleading information to Bommai and the presence of Tamil Nadu officials can be verified with the records available with the CWMA. Duraimurugan further said that livelihood of several farmers is dependent on Cauvery river and there is no need for the state to politicise the issue.

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