Mekedatu dam row: Tamil Nadu BJP workers protest Karnataka's move to build reservoir on Cauvery river

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit president, K Annamalai, claimed that the law was clearly in favour of the lower riparian state, Tamil Nadu, and that Karnataka could not build a dam without its consent, said the PTI report.

Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu): The BJP Tamil Nadu unit on Thursday staged a hunger strike here against party-ruled Karnataka's move to build a reservoir on the river Cauvery at Mekedatu. The party workers asked the neighbouring Karnataka government not to go ahead with the balancing reservoir project, which aims to meet both drinking water needs and power generation, said an agency report. The BJP leaders lashed out at the Karnataka opposition parties for backing the BJP government on the issue there. Tamil Nadu unit president of BJP, K Annamalai, claimed that the law was clearly in favour of the lower riparian state, Tamil Nadu, and that Karnataka could not build a dam without its consent, said the PTI report. Addressing the party members at the day-long fast in Thanjavur, Annamalai said, "Our fast agitation today is to demand the Karnataka government to give up its plans to build the Mekedatu dam. We condemn the opposition parties for asking the government to go ahead with the project. We will not allow its construction."