Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to instruct the Ministry of Jal Shakthi to advise the Chairman of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to desist from taking up any discussion on the Mekedatu project till the issues are heard and decided by the Supreme Court.
In his letter to Mr. Modi, Mr. Stalin contended that the CWMA was specifically constituted, as per the verdict of the Supreme Court, in May 2018 "only for implementing the orders of the Supreme Court on February 16, 2018. Tamil Nadu's considered view was that the scope of the functioning of authority is strictly limited only to the implementation of the verdict and it cannot be expanded to consider any such activity beyond it.
Referring to the inclusion of Mekedatu project in the CMWA's agenda of its 16th meeting, Mr. Stalin contended: "This is legally untenable as it is violative of the verdict of the Supreme Court and not at all acceptable to Tamil Nadu. In addition, the matter is sub-judice, since three applications filed by Tamil Nadu on this issue are pending before the Supreme Court."
The CM also recalled that Tamil Nadu had also filed another application in the Supreme Court on June 7. "These involve critical questions on the role of CWMA, which can be clarified only by the Supreme Court. Hence, we are apprehensive that the CWMA’s decision to rush up and discuss this issue, which is beyond its scope, even before our applications are heard by the Supreme Court, is an attempt to subvert the earlier verdict of the Court."
Hence, the discussion on the DPR of Mekedatu proposed in 16th CWMA Meeting has to be postponed till the Supreme Court heard Tamil Nadu's applications and gave its decision on them." Mr. Stalin also recalled his memorandum presented to the PM on June 17, 2021 in which, among others, Tamil Nadu requested the PM to advise the Ministry of Jal Shakthi not to give any concurrence to the proposal of State of Karnataka for constructing a reservoir at Mekedatu, across Cauvery.
Representations were also given to Union Minister for Jal Shakti conveying the unanimous resolution of our State Legislative Assembly in March this year opposing the project as well the move of the Karnataka government allocating ₹1,000 crores for it. "We were assured that no approval would be given for the proposed Mekedatu project without getting the concurrence of the State of Tamil Nadu."
The chief minister recalled that in a recent memorandum to the PM last month too emphasised the request. The CWMA's proposing to discuss the DPR of the Mekedatu project in its 16th meeting to be held on 17th June 2022, has "caused great anguish among the farmers of Cauvery Delta in Tamil Nadu", Mr. Stalin said after pointing out that Tamil Nadu depended greatly on the waters of Cauvery for its drinking water needs and irrigation.
After a protracted legal battle, the Supreme Court delivered its judgement on February 16, 2018 apportioning the waters of Cauvery amongst the riparian States. "Although the quantity of allocation is not up to our expectation, we are managing our needs with the allocated share, provided it is delivered as per the schedule. Any disruption in that would affect us very adversely and hence this is a very sensitive issue," Mr. Stalin contended.
