Chennai

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday reiterated the DMK’s firm opposition to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project, asserting that Tamil Nadu’s rights over Cauvery river water must be protected at all costs.

Participating in a discussion on the Mekedatu issue in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Stalin said the DMK has consistently resisted the project and supported every legal and political initiative aimed at safeguarding the state's share of Cauvery waters.

“The DMK’s position has always been clear — no dam should be constructed at Mekedatu. Tamil Nadu’s water rights cannot be compromised under any circumstances,” he said.

Stalin pointed out that even when a party allied to the DMK was in power in Karnataka, the then Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had strongly opposed the project. He credited the DMK government’s sustained efforts for the Central Water Commission returning Karnataka’s project report in the past.

According to him, Tamil Nadu’s access to Cauvery water has been secured through prolonged legal battles, and any attempt to alter the existing arrangement must be resisted.

Referring to the difficulties faced by farmers due to delays in water release from the Mettur Dam, Stalin urged the state government to take all necessary steps to secure Tamil Nadu’s rightful allocation of Cauvery water.

“Farmers are already facing hardships because water has not been released from Mettur. The government must continue to press the state’s case strongly and ensure justice is delivered,” he said.

His remarks came as the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay opposing the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.

The resolution, which received support from all parties in the House, including the Congress and the VCK, strongly objected to Karnataka’s proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery River without obtaining the consent of other basin states or securing approval from the Union government.

The resolution argued that the proposed project would violate the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as well as the 2018 judgment of the Supreme Court of India.

It further urged the Centre not to grant technical, environmental or any other clearances to the project, noting that both the tribunal and the Supreme Court had recognised the Cauvery basin as a water-deficit region where available resources had already been apportioned among the basin states.

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The Assembly also called on the Union government to direct the Central Water Commission to halt further processing of Karnataka’s project proposal, maintaining that any new storage structure in the basin should not proceed without the concurrence of all concerned states.