Tamil Nadu steps up Mekedatu opposition; CM Vijay chairs high-level strategy meeting

Chennai, July 20 (IANS) A day after the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution opposing Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday chaired a high-level meeting at the State Secretariat to chart the next course of action on the long-running Cauvery water dispute.

According to an official press release, the meeting focused on the legal and administrative measures to be taken in view of the continuing shortfall in Cauvery water inflows from Karnataka to the Mettur Dam and the State’s firm opposition to the proposed Mekedatu reservoir.

The consultation brought together senior legal experts, members of the Cauvery Technical Committee and top government officials to review the present situation and discuss strategies to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s water rights.

Among those who attended the meeting were Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources N. Anand, Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Adhav Arjuna, Minister for Energy and Law C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, Chief Secretary Dr M. Sai Kumar, Advocate General Vijay Narayan, Water Resources Principal Secretary Dr Satyaprat Sahu, Law Secretary P. Sumathi, Cauvery Technical Committee Chairman R. Subramanian and other senior officials.

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution, with the support of all political parties, strongly opposing Karnataka’s attempts to proceed with the Mekedatu dam project. Moving the resolution in the Assembly, Chief Minister Vijay stressed that the protection of Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery River transcended political differences and required a united stand.

He described water as one of the State’s most vital resources and said the right to river water was among the most fundamental rights of its people. Protecting that right, he said, was a shared responsibility that demanded collective action.

Appealing for bipartisan support, the Chief Minister urged all legislators to rise above party lines and present a united front without engaging in political blame games. Such unity, he said, would send a strong message that safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s interests remained the State’s foremost priority.

Vijay also called upon all members of the Assembly to unanimously support and implement the resolution, emphasising that it had been introduced solely to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu’s farmers and ensure the State’s long-term water security.

The latest meeting signals the Tamil Nadu government’s determination to intensify both legal and administrative efforts against the proposed Mekedatu project while continuing to press for its rightful share of Cauvery waters.

–IANS

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