Megedatu dam: Tamil Nadu counsel consent shocks Opposition

CHENNAI: Expressing shock over the consent of Tamil Nadu counsel Shekar Naphade at the Supreme Court to allow Karnataka to build Megedatu dam across Cauvery, opposition leaders on Friday urged Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to take measures for withdrawing such an opinion and oppose the project in the apex court. DMK principal secretary K. Duraimurugan described the consent as a 'betrayal of Tamil Nadu' and said it would be suicidal to accept 'Karnataka's long time wish'. 

He pointed that Tamil Nadu had been opposing Megedatu dam project for a long time and the Sekhar Naphade's consent had totally demolished the state's policy decision.
Raising a volley of questions, he asked “Who gave Shekar Naphade the right to give such an opinion? Did he express Tamil Nadu government's opinion? Did Palaniswami, who is also the PWD minister, tell the lawyer to accept the project? Did Palanisw-ami consult the cabinet before giving such an opinion?”.

He said the state government should have consulted the leaders of all parties or convened the Assembly before expressing a view. Even after the reports of the state's counsel in the Supreme Court, it was surprising that Palaniswami was remaining silent. Besides turning delta districts into a desert, the Megedatu dam would affect hydro-power projects in Mettur, he said. MDMK general secretary Vaiko said Palaniswami government had sacrificed the irrigation rights of Tamil Nadu and added that the latter did not have the locus standi to remain as Chief Minister. He also announced a protest demanding Palaniswami's resignation. “What happened behind the scenes before Sekhar Naphade's consent for Megedatu project?”, he asked. 

As long as former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was alive, she gave proper directions to the state lawyers and fought for Tamil Nadu's rights, he said. CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan said only if the dams in the state were filled up, water flows to Tamil Nadu. Construction of another dam would stop even a drop of water from coming to Tamil Nadu, he said and added that the state government had supported the deceptive act of Karnataka.

VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said a dam at Megedatu would totally stop flow of water to Mettur dam and Tamil Nadu would not get water even during floods in Karnataka. DK president K. Veeramani said Karnataka had never respected law or justice and added that Tamil Nadu should not fall for the joint conspiracy. People of Tamil Nadu should gather for a protest cutting across party lines, he said. Cauvery Rights Retrival Committee co-ordinator P. Maniarasan called for large-scale protests to save agriculture in delta districts. P.R. Pandian, co-ordinator of farmers associations also strongly opposed Tamil Nadu government's stand.