Chennai , 28 July (H.S.):Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the Union government does not grant any statutory or administrative approval to Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu Dam project, contending that it would be contrary to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Award and the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment on the Cauvery water-sharing dispute.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, Vijay expressed serious concern over a recent reply given by the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti in the Rajya Sabha. The reply had stated that the Supreme Court's February 16, 2018 judgment did not specifically require Karnataka to obtain the consent of downstream riparian States before constructing a structure across the Cauvery River. The Chief Minister said this interpretation was legally flawed and ignored established judicial principles governing inter-State river disputes.

Referring to the Constitution Bench judgment in the Alamatti dam case involving Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Vijay pointed out that the Supreme Court had clearly recognised the rights of downstream States and held that their consent was necessary before upstream projects affecting river flows could be undertaken. He argued that the same principle squarely applied to the Mekedatu proposal.

The Chief Minister further noted that while upholding the CWDT Award in 2018, the Supreme Court had reiterated that States could regulate river waters within their territories only in accordance with the Tribunal's directions. He also cited the Tribunal's insistence on coordinated water releases in the case of Kerala's Pambar Hydro-electric Project as evidence that downstream interests must be protected.

Seeking the Prime Minister's intervention, Vijay requested the Centre to withdraw the Rajya Sabha reply and refrain from granting any approval to the Mekedatu project unless it fully complied with the Tribunal Award and the Supreme Court verdict. He also called for a comprehensive legal and technical review before any decision was taken, stressing that the Cauvery is the lifeline of millions of farmers and residents across the basin.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman