Shivakumar also argued that the reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu by storing water that could be used during droughts. He called for cooperation instead of confrontation and said he would ask Vijay to send a delegation to Karnataka to examine the proposal firsthand.
Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N. Anand rejected Karnataka’s position, maintaining that his government would oppose the dam under all circumstances.
The political confrontation sharpened during Modi’s Karnataka visit to inaugurate projects worth Rs 15,600 crore. Addressing a gathering in the Prime Minister’s presence, Shivakumar sought central backing for Mekedatu and reiterated his claim that a Supreme Court verdict had cleared the way for construction.
He requested the environmental and forest clearances needed for the project and asserted that nobody could prevent Karnataka from building the reservoir.
Shivakumar said Karnataka’s BJP and National Democratic Alliance leaders supported the proposal. He added that an additional 5,400 hectares had been identified to compensate for forest land required for the project, with related work progressing.
Vijay’s proposed meeting with Modi would take Tamil Nadu’s objections directly to the Centre, whose decisions on the requested clearances remain central to the dispute.
With IANS inputs
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