Cauvery movement holds protest over Mekadatu

CHENNAI: A protest demonstration was held here today by the Cauvery Protection Movement demanding halting of the proposed building of reservoirs by Karnataka in Mekedatu and scrapping a project to extract Methane in Cauvery delta region in Tamil Nadu.

Presiding over the agitation, MDMK chief Vaiko, also coordinator of the movement, alleged that Karnataka was trying to build new dams across the inter-state river by flouting orders of the Cauvery Tribunal.

If new dams were built, Tamil Nadu will not receive water and its consequences would be 'unimaginable', he added.

Opposing methane extraction, he said prevention was better than cure, and demanded that the project proposed in the Cauvery Delta region of the state be scrapped.

Last month, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam told the Assembly that the project, permitted during DMK regime, had been suspended after AIADMK took over and a committtee set up to look into it. "It is a non-issue and is like flogging a dead snake," he had said referring to the opposition to the project.

The movement had staged similar protest on February 18 last in 13 districts including Thanjavur and Nagapattinam.

On January 1 this year, Vako launched the movement to mobilise public opinion and spearhead agitations on issues including Mekedatu and Methane project.