India News | Appropriate Action Will Be Taken, Mekedatu Dam Will Not Be Allowed, Says TN Minister

Chennai, May 26 (PTI) Lawyers would be consulted and appropriaate steps shall be taken to not allow construction of the proposed Mekedatu dam across Cauvery river by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said here on Wednesday.

Based on an English daily's report claiming that preliminary work was on for building the reservoir, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal has taken suo moto congnisance of the matter, the Minister said.

This was to ascertain if appropriate clearances have been obtained by Karnataka from competent authorities and in tune with the purpose it has set up a panel, he said.

The committee has been tasked to look into the matter and file a report before July 5 and it comprises, among others, Karnataka officials and an official from the Union Environment Ministry, the senior Minister said.

Tracing the events related to the dam proposal by Karnataka including Tamil Nadu approaching the Supreme Court against it, he said legal experts would be consulted and appropriate action would be taken by the government to prevent building a dam across the Cauvery.

"Tamil Nadu will never allow construction of a dam proposed by Karnataka across Cauvery river," he said.

In 2018, Tamil Nadu government had petitioned the apex court seeking a direction to the Central Water Commission to withdraw its permission to Karnataka to prepare a Detailed Project Report for the Mekedatu reservoir.

Also, TN had sought an injunction against preparation of the DPR and a contempt petition was also filed later in the top court and both the matters are pending, the Minister pointed out.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)