TN Law Minister to DK Shivakumar: Desist from drafting DPR for Mekedatu project

Tamil Nadu law minister C. Ve. Shanmugam has dubbed Karnataka Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar's move to open dialogue with the lower-riparian state on the Mekedatu reservoir as an attempt to slow down the case filed against the reservoir in the Supreme Court, and the contempt proceedings initiated against him and others last week.

Shivakumar had written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to "clear misconceptions" and work towards a solution, after differences erupted over the Central Water Commission's approval to Karnataka to prepare a Detailed Project Report for the Rs 5,912-crore project.

"Any construction or even preparation of the Detailed Project Report for construction of any new reservoir-project is a violation of the judgment of the Honorable Supreme Court order dated 16.02.2018. So, I urge you to desist from preparation of the Detailed Project Report for the Mekedatu Project." C. Ve. Shanmugam wrote in his letter to Shivakumar.


Tamil Nadu has so far moved the Supreme Court thrice over the last 10 days in connection with the Mekedatu project. After a petition with an exhaustive list of prayers to stop progress in the reservoir project, Tamil Nadu had initiated contempt proceedings against Shivakumar and others for violating the Cauvery final award in February this year, and recently, a petition seeking directions to enable appointment of a full-time Chairman and members for the Cauvery Management Authority. The CWMA was set up by the Centre to monitor and control water releases from reservoirs across the Cauvery to the lower-riparian states.