The Government of Karnataka has finally decided to move ahead and build a dam across the Cauvery River near Mekedatu in Ramanagar District of Karnataka. However, this has not gone down too well with the Tamil Nadu government and farmers of the state have been protesting against this decision. Also, the Puducherry government is not too pleased with this decision of Karnataka.
Signaling his intent, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has announced that he will sit on a hunger strike on behalf of the Tamil Nadu BJP on august 5 in a move to condemn the Karnataka government’s decision to go ahead with the construction of the Mekedatu dam.
Speaking to reporters, he said that they will not allow ‘even a small brick to be laid for the Mekedatu dam’. He went on to say that Tamil Nadu BJP will continue to always act in the interest of the state and hence, they will be holding a symbolic fast to throw in all their support for the interest of the state.
“Karnataka cannot construct the damn as per the legal norms, and the Union Water Resource Minister has assured that Karnataka will not be allowed to do so. This message ought to be taken up to the masses,” Annamalai said to his BJP members.
He also went on to say that more than 10,000 farmers and party workers are expected to join the protest in disapproval.
In response to this, the BJP MP from Mysore-Kodaku constituency Prtap Simha has said that there was no need to get the permission of Tamil Nadu. Simha told reporters, “Annamalai has called for a hunger strike in support of Tamil Nadu in the Mekedatu matter. It is unnecessary to discuss his hunger strike.”
What is Mekedatu project?
In Karnataka, Mekedatu is found at the confluence of Cauvery river and Arkavathi river. Water will be supplied to Bengaluru for drinking purposes as part of this Rs 9,000 crore project. Karnataka has already said that over 400 megawatts of power could be generated from the project and they got first approval in 2017. The water project has received approval from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, they are awaiting approval of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
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