Karnataka farmers stage rail-roko for Mekedatu

KRISHNAGIRI: The Karnataka farmers are up in arms again demanding the state to implement the Mekedatu dam project proposed across the river Cauvery.

On Wednesday, a farmers group supported by the pro-kannada organisation Kannada rakshana vedike staged a rail-roko at the Annekkal railway station, on the Karnataka side and 10 Km from Hosur in Krishnagiri district.

The protestors squatted on the rail track after the train 56514, a fast passenger heading towards Karaikal from Bengaluru city came to the Annekkal railway station. They also raised slogans against the Siddaramaiah-led congress government for not proceeding with the plan for constructing a new dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu after Tamil Nadu farmers showed stiff resistance .

The Tamil Nadu farmers opposed the project fearing fresh trouble from Karnataka, which already refuses to give 192 tmcft of Cauvery water to the lower riparian state as per the Cauvery water dispute tribunal.

However, the Karnataka has allotted Rs 25 crore for preparing a detailed project report for the proposed Mekedatu dam as announced   by Siddaramaiah in the state Assembly.

According to Siddaramaiah, his state conceived the project for the drinking water requirement of the Bengaluru people.