Mekedatu dam: Karnataka CM leads all

Mekedatu dam: Karnataka CM leads all-party delegation to PM
by PTI
Thursday, 30 April 2015 19:20
New Delhi, Apr 30: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today led an all-party delegation to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the Centre's "cooperation" for implementing the
Mekedatu dam project in his state, which is being opposed by neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
"We sought support from the Government of India to go ahead with the project," Siddaramaiah
told reporters outside Parliament House after meeting Modi.
Terming Tamil Nadu's opposition to the project as "politically motivated", he stressed that
interests of the neighbouring state would not be affected by this project.
"We are planning to construct a dam across the Cauvery river, which is in our territory. This
project will not affect the interest of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu people's opposition to the project is
politically motivated," he said.
Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka was releasing 192 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu as per the
award of the tribunal and asserted that construction of hydro electric project was "within the
rights of Karnataka".
Asked about Modi's response, Siddaramaiah said, "Prime Minister has not given any
assurance. He said that he would examine it."
The Karnataka Chief Minister also urged Modi to convene a meeting of chief ministers to
discuss about making respective regional languages as medium of instruction in primary
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Mekedatu dam: Karnataka CM leads all-party delegation to PM
by PTI
Thursday, 30 April 2015 19:20
schools.
Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and Sadananda Gowda, MPs including senior BJP leader B S
Yeddyurappa and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge were also present during the meeting.
The Karnataka all-party delegation's meeting with Modi comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister O Pannerselvam and opposition parties from the state calling on the Prime Minister
separately over the issue recently.
Siddaramaiah in his budget speech, presented on March 13, has proposed preparing a detailed
project report for construction of balancing reservoir on the upstream of Mekedatu across the
Cauvery river.
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Mekedatu dam: Karnataka CM leads all-party delegation to PM
by PTI
Thursday, 30 April 2015 19:20
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