New Delhi: In a setback to Tamil Nadu on Mekedatu Dam issue, the Supreme Court yesterday refused to stay the permission given to Karnataka for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to construct a new dam on Cauvery River and directed the Central Water Commission (CWC) to file its response in four weeks.

A Bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Ajay Rastogi also sought their responses on Tamil Nadu’s challenge to the Centre’s decision to give CWC chief S. Masood Husain additional charge as the Chairman of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

The Court said it would not, at present, go into the aspect of contempt of court action sought by the Tamil Nadu government against the CWC Chairman, Karnataka Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar and some others for going ahead with the feasibility report of the proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water Project in “utter disregard” to the Supreme Court and Cauvery Tribunal decisions to provide ample storage and distribution of water to Tamil Nadu.

The contempt petition claimed that the permission to go ahead on the basis of the feasibility report was a “wilful disobedience” of the Supreme Court’s direction on Feb. 16 this year. Tamil Nadu said the SC had noted that the existing storages in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka should be taken into account for ensuring water releases to TN during the month of June to January.

Meanwhile, at the ongoing Winter Session of the Assembly, Minister Shivakumar yesterday said Mekedatu project will be taken up as per the law and there was no question of the State government going against any Court order.

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