PMK Chief Anbumani Ramadoss Urges Tamil Nadu Youth to Protest Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam Plan

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday called upon the youth of Tamil Nadu to mobilise and protest against the Karnataka government's proposed dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu. Speaking to reporters at Kallanai, Mr. Ramadoss, who was on a four-day 'padayatra' (foot march) opposing the project, warned that Tamil Nadu would face a severe drinking water shortage if Karnataka's plan materialises.

“It was you who volunteered to save the Tamilian’s sport of ‘jallikattu’ by taking the issue to the streets. Now it is high time that you once again spill over to the streets to save our land from becoming dry land in future,” he told the youths, drawing a parallel to the 2017 pro-jallikattu protests.

Mr. Ramadoss claimed that most political parties in Tamil Nadu were prioritising their political positions over the water issue. He expressed confidence that if Gen Z youth take to the streets, political parties would follow their lead.

The PMK leader also urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to convene an all-party meeting on the matter. “The Chief Minister should take all the MLAs and MPs of Tamil Nadu to New Delhi and meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to insist that Karnataka should not be allowed to build the dam at the cost of Tamil Nadu people,” Mr. Ramadoss said. He added that if no positive response emerges, Tamil Nadu's legislators and parliamentarians should not hesitate to stage protests in the national capital.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Ramadoss concluded his padayatra at Poompuhar, where the Cauvery meets the Bay of Bengal. The march began at Biligundulu, the point where the Cauvery enters Tamil Nadu from Karnataka. At a public meeting in Poompuhar, he reiterated that protecting Tamil Nadu's rights over Cauvery water is the foremost issue for the state.

“But there is still not much understanding on the issue and the danger posed by the conspiracy of Karnataka to deny the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. It is not an issue concerning the Cauvery delta alone though the region would be the worst hit if the dam was built. About 5.5 crore people of the State are dependent on the Cauvery for irrigation and drinking water needs. How can we remain silent when Karnataka plans to block the river water flowing into Tamil Nadu by building a huge dam at Mekedatu?” he asked.

The Mekedatu dam project, proposed by Karnataka, has been a source of contention between the two states for years. Tamil Nadu contends that the dam would reduce its share of Cauvery water, while Karnataka maintains that the project is intended to generate power and provide drinking water to Bengaluru without affecting Tamil Nadu's quota under the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. The matter is currently sub judice in the Supreme Court.