Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay in the Legislative Assembly
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay wants Congress support to remain in power; however, for State benefits, he keeps silent with the same Congress party in Karnataka. This acrobatic act came into light when the CM opposed Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river.
On June 19, the Tamil Nadu government unanimously adopted a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly urging the Union government not to grant any technical or environmental clearances for the project and called upon the Central Water Commission not to process or approve Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report.
It seems CM Joseph is following in the footsteps of the DMK regime in throwing the ball into the opponents’ court instead of using its good offices.
It said, “Karnataka is proceeding with the Mekedatu project without obtaining the approval of the Union government or the consent of the Cauvery basin States.” Claiming the move as unacceptable, the resolution said the proposed reservoir, planned near the confluence of the Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore, violates existing legal and judicial directions governing the sharing of Cauvery waters.
The resolution said, “Karnataka’s unilateral proposal to construct the dam violates the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s judgment, and lacks the consent of the basin States and approval of the Union government.”
The government said both the tribunal and the Supreme Court had noted that the Cauvery basin was a deficit basin, the available water had already been apportioned among the States, and no new project could be taken up in the basin and no additional quantity of water could be utilised.
The resolution states, “The Cauvery issue is a highly sensitive one between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Therefore, this August House urges the Union government to advise the Karnataka government not to undertake the construction of a dam or any new water storage project at Mekedatu or at any other location in the Cauvery basin without the concurrence of the other basin States and without the approval of the Union government.”
The resolution urged the Union government to advise Karnataka against proceeding with the project and called upon the Central Water Commission not to process or approve Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report. Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin proposed an amendment urging the Union government to establish a tribunal under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, to resolve the Mekedatu dispute.
AIADMK leader Edappadi Palaniswami joined hands with the government by supporting the resolution moved by CM Vijay in the State Assembly against Karnataka’s move to construct a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu.
Replying to the discussion, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said detailed discussions on the issue had already been held on May 26 and legal steps were being taken for the formation of a separate tribunal on the Mekedatu dispute. He accepted the amendment proposed by the Leader of the Opposition, and it was incorporated into the resolution.
The amended resolution was then adopted unanimously by the House with the support of leaders of all parties. They raised concerns over the Mekedatu project and its potential impact on the interests of Tamil Nadu farmers.
Critics ask, “Why should the TVK-led Joseph Vijay government, in which Congress is a partner with five MLAs (two of them ministers) and one Rajya Sabha member, adopt a resolution asking the Centre to intervene and resolve it?”
CM Joseph Vijay met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi during his Delhi visit and P. Chidambaram at the CM’s office. Could he not have used this occasion with Rahul and senior Congress leaders to discuss the proposed dam project and seek its shelving considering the interests of Tamil Nadu farmers? Why, like the previous government, which too had close relations with the INC, hurl the ball into others’ court and escape from inaction? Had it been sincere, it should have opened dialogues through all channels to stop the project.
Every time before the polls, Congress would rake up the dam issue to prove its credentials in safeguarding the interests of Karnataka people.
