Palaniswami Urges Tamil Nadu CM to Raise Cauvery Dispute During Delhi Visit
Palaniswami calls on Tamil Nadu CM to address the Cauvery dispute with Congress leaders during his Delhi visit, emphasizing legal rights.
Chennai, November 15 (Daily Kiran) : Former Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to raise the contentious Cauvery water dispute with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi during his upcoming visit to Delhi. This call comes as Palaniswami seeks intervention against the proposed Mekedatu dam in Karnataka.
Palaniswami criticized Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s repeated claims that Karnataka has the right to construct the dam without needing approval from others. He warned that such statements could sow discord between the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The AIADMK leader highlighted that previous governments in Tamil Nadu fought legal battles to protect the state’s rights to Cauvery water. These efforts have resulted in Supreme Court rulings that ensure a system for monitoring water distribution, securing monthly water supplies for Tamil Nadu.
He referenced the Supreme Court’s assertion that interstate rivers are national assets, which no state can claim exclusive rights over. Palaniswami emphasized that Karnataka cannot undertake projects that affect downstream states without the Supreme Court’s consent.
Palaniswami accused the Karnataka Congress government of disregarding the Supreme Court’s rulings and failing to comply with directives regarding water releases over the past six months. He dismissed Shivakumar’s argument that the Mekedatu dam is essential for supplying Tamil Nadu’s allocated water.
He argued that most of the water reaching the Mettur reservoir comes from surplus flows released when Karnataka’s reservoirs are full, along with rainwater from catchment areas outside those reservoirs. He claimed that Karnataka is not adhering to its scheduled water releases.
Warning against the proposed dam project, Palaniswami stated that the Mekedatu dam would disrupt essential water flows for Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that the Cauvery River is crucial for agriculture in the Tamil Nadu delta and provides drinking water to residents in 20 districts.
He accused the Tamil Nadu government of failing to secure the state’s rightful water distribution through legal means since taking office, which has adversely affected crops like Kuruvai and Samba. Palaniswami cautioned that the dam’s construction could turn delta districts into deserts and jeopardize drinking water supplies.
He urged Chief Minister Vijay to raise these concerns with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress president, highlighting the alliance between the ruling party in Tamil Nadu and Congress. Palaniswami called for intervention to halt Karnataka’s statements and ensure compliance with water release directives.
