The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project on the Cauvery River. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay emphasized the importance of protecting Tamil Nadu’s water rights, transcending political differences for the welfare of the state’s farmers and people. The resolution raised concerns over Karnataka’s unilateral efforts to proceed with the project, contrary to legal provisions governing Cauvery water sharing.
The resolution highlighted that the Cauvery basin is a deficit basin, with allocated water among riparian states as per rulings by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court. It stressed that no new project should enable additional water utilization beyond allocated shares. The Assembly also criticized Karnataka for advancing the project without required approvals and urged the Union Government to advise against it.
Additionally, the House called on the Central Water Commission not to approve Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report for the dam project. It supported Tamil Nadu’s measures to prevent the scheme’s implementation, citing the protection of farmers’ livelihoods dependent on Cauvery waters. The issue has revealed divisions within the Congress party, with Karnataka supporting the project for Bengaluru’s water needs while Tamil Nadu opposes it due to downstream water concerns.
Karnataka defends the Mekedatu project for drinking water supply to Bengaluru and hydroelectric power generation. However, Tamil Nadu fears adverse impacts on downstream water availability and has reiterated its strong opposition to the project. Chief Minister Vijay had previously written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the rejection of Karnataka’s DPR and emphasizing the need for downstream states’ consent for any new reservoir on the Cauvery.
