Edappadi Palaniswami urges Vijay govt to announce stance on Mekedatu

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday (May 22) urged the Tamil Nadu government to declare its position on the Mekedatu inter-state water dispute.

Karnataka has proposed a balancing reservoir on river Cauvery at Mekedatu for drinking water and power generation in that state. Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project, citing threats to its water interests.'TVK govt is idle'

"The Karnataka Congress government is acting in a way that undermines Tamil Nadu's rights over the Cauvery, and the government in Tamil Nadu is standing by idly, and this remains an unchanging scene regardless of changes in administration", Palaniswami said in a statement.

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Earlier, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated Tamil Nadu had no right to oppose the Mekedatu dam. Responding to the statement, EPS said, "His (Shivakumar) current statement has caused massive outrage among Tamil Nadu's farmers and the general public."

'Delta will become desert'

Cauvery river water is the lifeline of the state for not only farmers in the Cauvery Delta districts, but also was the drinking water source for people in 20 districts , the former CM said, "If a dam is built across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu, the Delta districts will turn into a desert," he claimed.

Palaniswami said AIADMK would never allow Tamil Nadu's Cauvery rights to be surrendered and demanded the state government immediately initiate steps against Karnataka and announce a clear stance.

(With agency inputs)