Setback To Tamil Nadu Over Cauvery Issue: Supreme Court Refuses To Stay DPR On Mekadatu Dam By Karnataka

The Supreme Court refused Tamil Nadu’s request to stay the permission given to Karnataka for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to construct Mekadatu dam on Cauvery River. Further, it also directed the Central Water Commission(CWC) to file its response in four weeks.

Today, three petitions filed by Tamil Nadu State and one by Puducherry union territory on Mekedatu issue were up for hearing before the apex court.

Apart from the stay petition by both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, the later filed a petition against CWC, Karnataka Water Resources Minister and a couple of officials for giving the green signal for DPR and obtaining such permission violating the order of Supreme court.

In the last petition, Tamil Nadu questioned the dual role of Masood Hussain as CWC Chairman and Cauvery Water Management Authority and sought CWC to appoint a full-time chairman for CWMA.

Today the judges asked Tamil Nadu counsel as to why the government had filed a petition as the Cauvery water dispute had already ended. In response, Tamil Nadu counsel said as it was an issue connected with the Cauvery issue, an interim petition was filed. The SC judges refuted the petition saying that the DPR will not affect Tamil Nadu government immediately.