Chennai, May 26(BPNS)
Tamil Nadu minister for water resources and senior leader of DMK, S Duraimurugan has said that the state would not allow Karnataka to build a dam across Cuvery river at Makedatu, which is near the inter state border.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the water resources minister said that the government would consult legal counsels on this matter and take appropriate action.
The minister said ,”Tamil Nadu will never allow the construction of Mekedatu dam planned by the Karnataka government across the river Cauvery.”
The minister said that the state government had filed a petition in the Supreme court in November 2018 seeking stay of the permission granted by the Central Water Commission to the Karnataka government to go ahead and prepare a detailed project report (DPR).
It may be noted that the National Green Tribunal(NGT) South Indian bench had taken suo moto cognizance on the basis of news paper reports alleging that some steps were being taken and that materials had been collected near the project area.
The NGT has constituted a four member committee of the Union environment ministry, Cauvery Water Management Authority, Cauvery Neeravi Nigam Limited and Forest department of Karnataka Government to conduct an inspection at the concerned area and submit a factual report and an action taken report, if any violations were found. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Department of Forest, Government of Karnataka will be the nodal agency for coordination and for providing the necessary logistics.
The NGT has issued a notice communicating its decision to the Union ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Department of water resources, Central Water Commission, Cauvery Water Management Authority and Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka among others.
The NGT has directed the panel to submit its report on or before July 5 and the Tribunal in its ruling said, “If the project is to be implemented without conducting any environmental assessment study and without obtaining necessary clearance if any required, then it will be an unauthorized act affecting the environment.”
