Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today reiterated the Tamilnadu government's opposition for Karnataka's new plea to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment/ Environmental Management Plan report for Mekedatu project.
In this regard, he has written identical letters to Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar and Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Palaniswami stated, it has been brought to the notice of Tamilnadu that Karnataka has again approached the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects seeking approval of the Terms of Reference for Mekedatu project.
'The government of Tamilnadu once again reiterates its strong objections to the project proposal of Karnataka, as it has no right to construct any reservoir on an inter-State river without the consent of the lower riparian State - Tamilnadu.
In the above mentioned circumstances, I request you to instruct the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to issue instructions to the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects not to entertain the proposal of Karnataka and to reject the Detailed Project Report of Karnataka seeking grant of Terms of Reference to conduct EIA/EMP Report for Mekedatu Project,' he mentioned in the letters.
