Chennai, July 5 (IANS) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday urged the Tamil Nadu government to convene an all-party meeting to evolve a united strategy against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project, claiming that farmers across the Cauvery basin have overwhelmingly rejected the state’s proposal to seek the constitution of a new tribunal to address the dispute.

Alleging that Karnataka is moving ahead aggressively with its plans while Tamil Nadu has failed to mount an equally strong response, the PMK President said the situation has created deep concern among farmers, particularly in the Cauvery delta.

He added that the farming community fears the state could lose its water rights if immediate and decisive action is not taken.

The PMK leader said he recently completed a four-day awareness campaign across the Cauvery basin, travelling from Biligundlu to Poompuhar between July 1 and July 4 to interact with farmers and highlight what he described as the serious consequences of the proposed Mekedatu dam.

According to Anbumani Ramadoss, feedback received during the campaign indicated that farmers have little faith in Karnataka’s assurances that Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water would remain unaffected even if the dam is constructed.

He alleged that Karnataka had failed to honour earlier water-sharing commitments, making the farming community deeply sceptical of its latest assurances.

Referring to the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s recent resolution seeking the establishment of a new tribunal to deal with the Mekedatu issue, the PMK President claimed that farmers are firmly opposed to the proposal.

He said that they fear that reopening the legal framework through a fresh tribunal could ultimately strengthen Karnataka’s position rather than safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests.

While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay may genuinely be committed to protecting farmers’ interests, Anbumani Ramadoss alleged that the farming community believes he is being misguided on the Mekedatu issue.

He also criticised the Tamil Nadu government, alleging that apart from passing what he termed an ineffective Assembly resolution, it had failed to initiate any meaningful measures to counter Karnataka’s move.

He urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately convene an all-party meeting to remove the apprehensions of Cauvery delta farmers and formulate a comprehensive strategy to prevent Karnataka from proceeding with the dam project.

Anbumani Ramadoss said that farmers have not forgotten what they view as Karnataka’s past violations of water-sharing commitments and remain determined to prevent a repeat of earlier setbacks.

He claimed his campaign reached nearly five lakh farmers and members of the public, all of whom demanded that the Mekedatu project be stopped.

The awareness tour covered Hogenakkal, Pennagaram, Dharmapuri, Salem, Mettur, Bhavani, Erode, Tiruppur, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, the Grand Anicut (Kallanai), Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai.

–IANS

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