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The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday, June 19, unanimously passed a resolution opposing Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery river. The resolution urged the Union government not to grant any approval for the project and sought the constitution of a separate tribunal to resolve the dispute.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who moved the resolution in the Assembly, said water was a basic right and a vital natural resource that the state had a responsibility to protect. He said the resolution had been brought without targeting or blaming any political party and was intended solely to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights over Cauvery waters.
The resolution stated that Karnataka was proceeding with the Mekedatu project without obtaining the approval of the Union government or the consent of the Cauvery basin states. It described the move as unacceptable and contended that the proposed reservoir, planned near the confluence of the Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers in Karnataka's Ramanagara district at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore, violated existing legal and judicial directions governing the sharing of Cauvery waters.
The Assembly maintained that both the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court had held that the Cauvery basin is a water deficit basin and that the available water had already been allocated among the riparian states. It argued that, in view of those findings, no new project could be undertaken in the basin that would utilise additional water.
The resolution urged the Union government to advise Karnataka against proceeding with the project and called upon the Central Water Commission not to process or approve Karnataka's Detailed Project Report. It also reaffirmed the Tamil Nadu government's efforts to oppose the project, stating that those measures were necessary to protect the interests of farmers in the State.
During the discussion, Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin proposed an amendment seeking the constitution of a tribunal under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, to adjudicate the Mekedatu dispute.
Responding to the debate, Vijay said the Assembly had already held detailed discussions on the issue on May 26 and that the state government was pursuing legal measures for the constitution of a separate tribunal. Accepting Udhayanidhi's amendment, the Chief Minister incorporated it into the resolution before it was adopted unanimously by the House.
Leaders of all political parties extended their support to the resolution, expressing concern over the likely impact of the Mekedatu project on Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water and the livelihood of farmers dependent on the river.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.