Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to instruct the Ministry of Jal Shakthi to advise the Chairman of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to desist from taking up any discussion on the Mekedatu project till the issues are heard and decided by the Supreme Court.
In his letter to Mr. Modi, Mr. Stalin contended that the CWMA was specifically constituted, as per the verdict of the Supreme Court, in May 2018 "only for implementing the orders of the Supreme Court on February 16, 2018. Tamil Nadu's considered view was that the scope of the functioning of authority is strictly limited only to the implementation of the verdict and it cannot be expanded to consider any such activity beyond it.
Referring to the inclusion of Mekedatu project in the CMWA's agenda of its 16th meeting, Mr. Stalin contended: "This is legally untenable as it is violative of the verdict of the Supreme Court and not at all acceptable to Tamil Nadu. In addition, the matter is sub-judice, since three applications filed by Tamil Nadu on this issue are pending before the Supreme Court."
