Tamil Nadu Assembly Passes Resolution Against Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam Project Over Cauvery

[00:00:00]of Tamil Nadu with regards to the Mahadayi that continues over the Mekedatu project. Now, what we see is a Mekedatu resolution and that's been unanimously passed at the assembly.

[00:00:11]Chief Minister Vijayan reading out that very resolution in the house. Take a look as to what the Chief Minister has to say on that as he's reading out that very resolution on the Mekedatu project.

[00:01:10]>> The Indian government should not provide any permission.

[00:01:53]without the permission of the lower riparian states.

[00:02:04]I urge union government inform Karnataka government about this.

[00:02:16]I this assembly urges the government to not provide any permission for such a dam.

[00:02:30]This assembly gives all support unanimously for all the actions that be taken back to stop Karnataka government from building a dam.

[00:02:39]This is a resolution I place forward.

[00:02:42]I urge all the members to support this.

[00:03:12]>> So viewers, just just a quick quick few takeaways from what Vijay just read out from that resolution. He has to say, we can have our difference in opinion in politics, but for people's welfare, we should all be united. For farmers and people, we must all be united. Water is our basic right and resource. The [music] responsibility to protect it is on us. We pass a resolution on this without indulging in blaming other parties. Request all your cooperation [music] in passing this very resolution.

[00:03:41]And this is what Chief Minister Vijay had to read out from that very resolution as Pramod Madhav joins us on the broadcast as he was just translating that for us. We uh just take us through the fact that you know this resolution that's been passed.

[00:03:55]One thing Vijay has consistently [music] done is he's played out a balancing act very well. That yes, while we're not playing a blame game because at the end of the day the Congress government that is there in Karnataka, they're also allies of the Congress within their own state. So, there is no blame game that he's getting involved in, but he's also kept his point forward very, very sternly and firmly that yes, our farmers will be affected with this particular Mekedatu project. We need to protect them.

[00:04:26]>> That is certainly true, [music] Shreya.

[00:04:27]The important aspect is that like we have visited Mekedatu. This large scale uh the river Kaveri river, which at some places even 2 km wide, actually comes to close to 100 ft. That is the maximum space in Mekedatu. So, that is why it's a very, very strategic point where if a Mekedatu dam is constructed, it will definitely cause serious damage to the district delta districts in the state of Tamil Nadu. How we see Vijay, Chief Minister Vijay's speech right now is that Shreya, as we speak, now the Congress MLA Rajesh Kumar is also speaking on this particular resolution.

[00:04:57]Interestingly, how he is being made by who's also part of the cabinet over here to uh speak on this particular in a situation that seems like a strategic move, very clearly claiming that the Tamil Nadu Congress is also supporting all this measures taken by the Tamil Nadu government under Chief Minister Vijay to stop this Mekedatu project. Important aspect here is that till now Tamil Nadu has the upper hand legally because the Supreme Court and the Kaveri water tribunal have very clearly mentioned that without the permission of the lower riparian states, Tamil Nadu, we have Kerala, we have Puducherry, and Karaikal. And all the permission must be acquired before the Mekedatu dam could be constructed over there. So, keeping this in point very clearly, Chief Minister Vijay said that he will not allow any kind of project over there. All kind of legal measures will be taken to stop Kaveri Shreya.

[00:05:43]>> Right, Pramod. Thank you for putting that into context for our viewers as to what exactly is the Mekedatu project and why is it Tamil Nadu is so firm on its stance with regards to government of Tamil Nadu is so firm in its stance with regards to opposing it and protecting their farmers.