Chennai, June 16 (BPNS)

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) , political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community has warned the state government over the Mekedatu dam issue and called upon the state government to be proactive on the issue.

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, president of PMK on Thursday urged the state government to have clear-cut plans on the measures to be taken if approval is given to Karnataka to go ahead with the Mekedatu dam project.

It is to be noted that the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) is meeting on Friday and there are apprehensions in Tamil Nadu on the possibility of Karnataka getting approval for the project.

The PMK state president said that the CWMA has included the Mekedetu dam project as an agenda for the Friday meeting even though Tamil Nadu government has opposed it several times.

He said that even after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and prevent the CWMA from discussing the Mekedattu dam issue, the authority has included the subject in its agenda for Friday.

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said that this is a clear indication that the CWMA will give clearance for the construction of the dam at Mekedattu over Cauvery which will be a major blow to Tamil Nadu.

He called upon the Tamil Nadu government to act and garner support from other members of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) like Kerala and Puducherry and to stop the discussion on Mekedattu on Friday.

The PMK leader said that the state government must take up the matter that the CWMA does not have any right to grant permission for the clearance of the Mekedatu dam.

He also said that the government of Tamil Nadu must see to it that the interests of the delta farmers of the state be protected and called upon the Chief Minister to be proactive against the move of the CWMA and added that the authority don’t have any rights for such a move.