Mekedatu dam row: File contempt case against Karnataka in SC, says AMMK chief Dhinakaran

Chennai: AMMK chief T T V Dhinakaran on Monday demanded that the Tamil Nadu government initiate contempt proceedings against neighbouring Karnataka for "continuing the construction work" on the Mekedatu dam project in violation of the apex court order.

Also, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay should personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urge him to intervene and prevent the Congress government's unilateral construction activities.

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A direct meeting between Vijay and Modi was essential to forcefully convey Tamil Nadu's position, safeguard the livelihood of farmers and make sure that Karnataka complied with the Supreme Court ruling and also the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority, Dhinakaran said on 'X'.

The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary claimed that a farmers' delegation that visited Mekedatu balancing reservoir site has confirmed the construction activity, and he emphasised the urgent need to "halt the illegal construction work" by moving the Supreme Court.

"The Karnataka Congress government which is going against the Supreme Court verdict and the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority has continued to refuse water due for Tamil Nadu. It is not going to back down from the decision to build the dam at Mekedatu," Dhinakaran, an ally of the BJP, said.

While the current status of the resolution passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly urging the central government not to grant permission to Karnataka to build the Mekedatu dam is unknown, the Karnataka government's insistence on building the reservoir has caused great unrest among the Tamil Nadu farmers, he said.

"While the Tamil Nadu Congress party members are making empty promises that they will not allow even a single brick to be laid at Mekedatu, the Karnataka Congress government has started the construction work. So, Chief Minister Vijay should at least realise that there is no point in relying on the Tamil Nadu Congress on the Cauvery issue," the AMMK leader said in the statement.