Politics · India Bureau
Tamil Nadu CM flags concerns over Mekedatu dam project to PM Modi
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing apprehension over recent inspections by Union government officials regarding Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu Dam project. The move reflects growing anxiety among Tamil Nadu farmers over the scheme's potential impact on water resources.
LSN India ·
Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has escalated concerns over the Mekedatu Dam project by directly communicating with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter highlights escalating worries among the state's farming community regarding recent developments and inspections by Union government officials connected to the proposed dam across the Cauvery River in neighbouring Karnataka.
The Mekedatu project has long been a contentious issue between the two states, with Tamil Nadu opposing the scheme on grounds that it could adversely affect water availability in the region. Farmers in Tamil Nadu have expressed concerns that the dam could limit their access to critical irrigation resources from the Cauvery, a river central to agricultural activity across southern India.
Stalin's intervention through direct communication to the Prime Minister signals the state government's determination to safeguard Tamil Nadu's water interests. The Chief Minister's action reflects the political importance of the Mekedatu issue in Tamil Nadu, where agricultural communities hold significant influence.
The Mekedatu project remains a flashpoint in interstate water-sharing disputes, with Karnataka keen to construct the dam for hydropower generation and water management, while Tamil Nadu insists such development could jeopardise established water-sharing arrangements under the Cauvery Waters Disputes Tribunal award.