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Cauvery is a ‘life’ issue, won’t allow Karnataka to build Mekedatu dam: TN Minister Duraimurugan
Tamil Nadu Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan said Thursday that the Cauvery water sharing is “not an ordinary matter but a life issue” and that the state will never give consent for the construction of the dam across the river at Mekedatu by Karnataka.
Duraimurugan made the comments while speaking to reporters after he reached Chennai following a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi in the backdrop of the ongoing row over the construction of the Mekedatu dam.
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“I have explained to the minister that this is not some ordinary matter but a life issue,” Duraimurugan said. The Tamil Nadu minister pointed out that the state should have been receiving 12.213 thousand million cubic feet of water from Karnataka. However, he said, they have received only 2.993 tmc of water until July 3, which is a deficit of 9.220 tmc.
Duraimurmugan said if the situation continues, the short-term Kuruvai crops in delta districts may be affected. “Karnataka has to release the water to protect the crops in the Cauvery Delta districts and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has to hold talks or pass necessary orders for it to do,” he said.
The Tamil Nadu minister added he conveyed their concern to Shekhawat, who according to Duraimurugan has asked officials to take necessary measures to convene a CWMA meeting. He said Karnataka is violating the Supreme Court order by not providing the quantum of water to Tamil Nadu.
When asked about the Karnataka Government’s remarks it will hold talks with Tamil Nadu over the construction of the dam at Mekedatu, Duraimurugan said even if they hold talks or write to them, the state will never give consent for the construction of the dam.
On Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai’s statement that his party would stage a ‘Go Back Stalin’ protest against Chief Minister M K Stalin if he takes part in the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Duraimurugan said ‘it is their wish’.
