New Delhi, January 2: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today suspended 26 AIADMK MPs for five sittings. AIADMK members were protesting in the house over Cauvery river issue. The MPs were protesting against Karnataka government’s move to construct a dam in Mekedatu over Cauvery river and are seeking the Centre’s intervention in the matter. Dam at Mekedatu Will Affect Farmers in Puducherry: CM

Meanwhile, DMK members also staged a protest in the house. The suspended MPs alleged that construction of the dam will disrupt the water supply to the state and would adversely affect farmers. Earlier in the day, members of both the parties also created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over the issue. The Upper House was adjourned for the day due to the protest.

Last Month, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss Mekedatu Dam project. The Karnataka CM also met Union Water Resources and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in December and discussed the project. The Centre, on December 26 also decided to call a meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu chief ministers soon to resolve the issue regarding the proposed construction of Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery river which led to stalling of Parliament proceedings last month.

Mekedatu is located at the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers, near Kanakapura which is at a distance of 110 km from Bengaluru. In 2013, the project was announced by the-then Karnataka law minister TB Jayachandra.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 02, 2019 05:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).