Chennai
oi-PTI
The Puducherry territorial Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister N Rangasamy opposing Karnataka’s proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
All members of the House supported the resolution. Moving the resolution, Rangasamy said, “The Legislative Assembly of Puducherry records its opposition and condemnation of the Karnataka government’s proposal to construct a dam at Mekedatu, located approximately five km from the Tamil Nadu border.”
The Puducherry Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution opposing Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam proposal on the Cauvery river, urging the Centre not to grant permission due to potential harm to Puducherry’s water share and interests as per the Supreme Court’s award.
He said Karnataka’s proposal “is against the interests of the people of Puducherry and is contrary to the final award on sharing of Cauvery river water delivered by the Supreme Court”. The resolution urged the Centre not to grant permission for construction of the proposed dam, stating that it would adversely affect the interests of the people of Puducherry.
It said the Assembly “strongly emphasised that the Karnataka government should not proceed with the project without obtaining prior consent from all the Cauvery basin states, including Puducherry”. Rangasamy urged the Karnataka government to withdraw its proposal and refrain from taking any further action in this regard.
The resolution said that, “to safeguard the interests of the Karaikal region, to prevent construction of any dam at Mekedatu by the Karnataka government and to protect Puducherry’s permanent entitlement to its share of Cauvery water as determined by the Supreme Court”, the Assembly unanimously expressed its full support for all administrative and legal measures undertaken by the Puducherry government.
Members of both the treasury and opposition benches supported the resolution, expressing strong objection to Karnataka’s proposal. Pro Tem Speaker A Anbalagan, who chaired the day’s proceedings, also said the proposed Mekedatu dam would severely affect farmers in the Karaikal region. “Karaikal would be seriously hit by the project, and the region would also become a totally drought-hit area,” Anbalagan said.
