Unfair to include Mekedatu dam project in Cauvery authority's agenda: TN govt

Chennai, Feb 14 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government has conveyed to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) that it is unfair to include the Mekedatu dam project in its meeting, state Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan informed the assembly on Wednesday.

Expressing concern over the frequent inclusion of Karnataka's proposal to construct a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu in the agenda of CWMA, he said Tamil Nadu had protested against discussion on the subject. Even Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had said it should not be included, Duraimurugan added.

"Despite this, it was included in the agenda for discussion. Yesterday, we conveyed to the CWMA that it is not fair to include the Mekedatu dam project in the agenda," the minister said in response to an issue raised by Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswmi in the assembly.

Raising the issue, AIADMK General Secretary Palaniswami said Tamil Nadu should have opposed the discussion on the project at the CWMA's meeting on February 1. The authority had returned the project to the Central Water Commission for examination, the former chief minister said and urged the government to explore options to safeguard Tamil Nadu farmers' interests. PTI