Farmers Announce 5-day Statewide Protest Against Mekedatu Dam, TN

The Coordination Committee of All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu on Friday announced a massive five-day statewide campaign from September 20 to protest the Karnataka government's attempt to construct a dam across Cauvery at Mekedatu. 

President of the farmers body, P R Pandian, made this annoucement following a detailed, five-hour meeting between a farmers' delegation and Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar in Gurugram.

Accusing Karnataka's political leadership of pushing the Mekedatu project for political gain despite local opposition, Pandian stated that farmers will seek an audience with the prime minister,



if necessary, to press their demands after the campaign that will start at Poompuhar. 

While speaking to reporters, he strongly objected to the proposed dam across the River Cauvery, terming the Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted by Karnataka to the Central Water Commission (CWC) as "fraudulent" and legally invalid. He noted the DPR lacks the requisite consent from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

Urging the Central government to deny any environmental or forest clearance for the project, Pandian warned that the dam would be detrimental to farmers in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.