Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami says Centre preparing detailed project report on interlinking Godavari and Cauvery rivers

Chennai: The Centre is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on interlinking the Godavari and Cauvery rivers, Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami said in Chennai on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_4510595” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of K Palaniswami. Twitter/@CMOTamilNadu[/caption] The DPR was being prepared after talks with the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments, he said. The chief minister was talking to reporters after calling on Telangana Governor and former Tamil Nadu BJP President Tamilisai Soundararajan. To a query, Palaniswami denied having taken up the issue with Soundararajan and said the meeting was just a courtesy call. “The Centre has already taken steps on the issue,” he said. On reports that the Karnataka government has moved the Supreme Court for constructing a dam at Mekedatu across the river Cauvery, Palaniswami recalled that the environment ministry had not given its nod for it. He pointed out that case filed by the Tamil Nadu government against the construction of the dam was pending in the Supreme Court. Noting that former Karnataka minister D Shivakumar had issued statements that a dam would be constructed, Palaniswami said a contempt of court case had been filed against him in the apex court. Palaniswami recalled that the he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Water Resources Ministry, stating that a dam should not be constructed across the river Cauvery as it would affect Tamil Nadu. “Through letters and also via memorandum submitted to the Water Resources Ministry and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) in person, I have taken up the issue, requesting that a dam should not be constructed across Cauvery. Based on that, the Water Resources Ministry issued a statement on 19 July that the dam should not be constructed at Mekedatu”, he said. To a query about prevalence of dengue fever across Tamil Nadu, he claimed that the virus has spread in the state from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “In Telangana 9,000 people have been affected. The virus has spread in Tamil Nadu from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Steps are being taken to control it”, he said. The virus was not confined to just India and even developed nations like Singapore had reported nearly 10,000 cases of dengue, he said. Meetings had been held with the Ministers of Health and Family Welfare, Local Administration and top government officials and instructions issued, he said. On the reported comments by DMK chief MK Stalin that only ‘money power’ would enable a candidate win in the Vikkravandi and Nanguneri bypolls, Palaniswami said his party would emerge victorious with the support of the people. On the contrary, it was the DMK which was trying to bribe the electorate, he alleged. “Cadres of AIADMK and alliance parties are working in support of our candidate. We will win by a huge margin of votes in the bypolls”, he said. On Stalin’s promise to the Vanniar community that his party would earmark 20 per cent reservation if they come to power, Palaniswami said that this was already in force. “He has only mentioned whatever was existing already. There is a 20 per cent quota for members of the Most Backward comunity. According to us, the late AIADMK supremo (and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa) already ensured that there is a 69 per cent reservation for the oppressed and backward classes”, he said.