Tamil Nadu farmers to launch five-day campaign against Karnataka's Mekedatu dam
The announcement was made by the body's president, PR Pandian, after a five-hour meeting between a farmers' delegation and Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Gurugram.
The Coordination Committee of All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu on Friday announced a five-day state-wide campaign from September 20 against the Karnataka government's move to build a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
The announcement was made by the body's president, PR Pandian, after a five-hour meeting between a farmers' delegation and Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Gurugram.
Pandian said the campaign would begin at Poompuhar and that farmers would seek a meeting with the prime minister, if required, to press their demands.
He said the delegation also raised issues including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price, implementation of the M S Swaminathan Committee's recommendations, the withdrawal of the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act, an end to the mandate for smart meters and changes to the Land Acquisition Act.
Speaking to reporters, Pandian accused Karnataka's political leadership of pushing the Mekedatu project for political gain despite opposition at the local level. He strongly objected to the proposed dam and described the Detailed Project Report submitted by Karnataka to the Central Water Commission as "fraudulent" and legally invalid.
He said the DPR did not have the required consent from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
He urged the Centre not to grant environmental or forest clearance for the project, saying the dam would hurt farmers in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Pandian said farmers in Karnataka also accepted that the project would not benefit them because of its location in forested areas downstream of the Krishnarajasagara dam.
"Building a dam at Mekedatu to store water under the guise of drinking water requirements during scarcity periods is unacceptable and will only ruin agriculture," he said.
As an alternative, Pandian proposed a dam at Rasimanal in Tamil Nadu. He said farmers from both states had agreed on the Rasimanal site during a joint meeting in 2024 and appealed to the Centre to allow its construction.
On the wider set of demands raised during the meeting with Khattar, Pandian said the minister assured the delegation that the matters would be discussed with the concerned departments and brought to the attention of the prime minister.
Pandian also condemned the recent detention of Punjab farmers at the Haryana border during a march to Delhi organised by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).
He also highlighted the impact of the El Nino phenomenon on agriculture in Tamil Nadu and urged the Centre to provide additional assistance under the disaster management fund. He sought funds to desilt water bodies to help maintain the groundwater table and make better use of the upcoming northeast monsoon rains.