MK Stalin accuses Centre of 'discreetly' helping Karnataka to construct dam across Cauvery river at Mekedatu

Chennai: The opposition DMK on Monday charged the BJP-led government at the Centre with ‘discreetly’ aiding Karnataka in going ahead with the construction of a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu. Karnataka’s insistence on going ahead with the dam was contrary to the Cauvery Tribunal’s final award, as well as the Supreme Court judgement, which barred it from opting for such dams that would affect the quantum of water to Tamil Nadu, DMK President MK Stalin said. [caption id=“attachment_1797837” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of DMK leader MK Stalin. AFP[/caption] “It is condemnable that Karnataka is adamant on constructing the dam, which is inhuman.. so is the discreet support to it by the BJP-led Central government,” he said in a statement. The BJP is aiding Karnataka for “political reasons,” he alleged. He further said Karnataka had written to the Centre, seeking environmental clearance for the project, even while recalling the opposition in Tamil Nadu earlier against the clearance for the Detailed Project Report. The DMK saw Karnataka approaching the Centre as “not helping” in inter-state ties, he said. Stalin demanded from the Tamil Nadu government to act swiftly and move the Supreme Court, seeking a stay on the construction of the dam. He also urged the Centre not to grant environmental clearance for the project, as he wanted Karnataka not to press ahead with the dam.