Chennai , March 21(BPNS)
Tamil Nadu waterworks minister and senior DMK leader, S. Duraimurugan has moved a resolution in state legislative assembly against the Karnataka government allocating money in budget for building Mekedatu dam over Cauvery river. In the resolution, the minister petitioned the Government of India not to grant permission to Karnataka to build a dam across Mekedatu. He said that the proposal to construct a dam at Mekedatu has to be considered as an act to stop the water in Tamil Nadu. It may be noted that Karnataka government had in its budget for 2022-23 allocated an amount of Rs 1000 crore for the Mekedatu dam project .
The minister has earlier in a public meeting said that even if Karnataka had allocated an amount of Rs 5000 crore, the people of Tamil Nadu will not allow a single brick to be built for the construction of the dam. He had also said that the Mekedatu dam issue was still pending before the Supreme Court and the Karnataka government should not have allocated this amount for the construction of the dam at Mekedatu.
It may be noted that Tamil Nadu has been voicing its concern over the constitution of a dam at Mekedatu across Cauvery river as it would reduce its water flow downstream affecting the farming and drinking water needs of the people of Tamil Nadu.
