TN presses Centre to stop Karnataka dam

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu intensified its efforts to stop Karnataka from constructing a dam at Mekedatu near the border, as it made a direct appeal to the union government on Tuesday.

The dam would block Cauvery water from reaching Tamil Nadu’s Delta districts and leave farmlands thirsty, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan explained to Union Jal Sakthi Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi.

“Water should be released from Cauvery as per the Supreme Court’s order,” Durai Murugan, 83, the seniormost leader in the ruling DMK, told the media as he emerged from the meeting with Shekhawat.

“Karnataka’s plan to construct dam at Mekedatu should be stopped.”

Tamil Nadu has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the multi-crore project Karnataka plans across the Cauvery River near the inter-state border. Tamil Nadu fears that this would affect the flow of the river.

Karnataka has filed an application before the union government, seeking permission to conduct environmental impact assessment studies.

Chief Minister MK Stalin had writen to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, stating that the construction of a major reservoir in the Cauvery should be stopped.

In his response, Yediyurappa responded that the Mekedatu dam will not hamper the flow of Cauvery water.

Separately, Stalin day urged union Minister of Law and Justice, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad to withdraw the proposed amendment to Cinematograph Act, 1952 which empowers the Centre to recertify any film which it thinks is against its interests.

In a leter to Prasad, a copy of which was released to the media here, he also urged him to allow for functional autonomy of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) so that “we remain as a progressive nation, and where creative thinking, that includes art, culture and film making, blossom without fear or favour.”

He said the drat bill has given rise to serious apprehensions not only in the minds of the film fraternity and film industry, but also among all well-meaning sections of the society that cherish freedom of expression.

The amendment seeks to restore the revisionary powers of the union government that was struck down by the Supreme Court two decades ago, he said.

“I wish to reiterate that the drat amendment restoring the ‘revisional power’ to the Centre ater it is certified by the CBFC is a misuse of ‘reasonable restriction’ clause under Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India.”