NEWS: The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution opposing Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu Project on the Cauvery River, while Karnataka maintains that the project will not affect Tamil Nadu’s allocated water share.

ABOUT

• Proposed by Karnataka across the Cauvery River near Mekedatu, Karnataka.
• Planned as a balancing reservoir for regulating river flows and improving water management.

OBJECTIVES

• Meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and surrounding regions.
• Regulate the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu.
• Generate about 400 MW of hydroelectric power.

CONCERNS

Tamil Nadu argues that no new dam or storage project in the Cauvery basin should be built without:

• Consent of basin states (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry).
• Approval from the Union Government and competent authorities.
• Concerns over possible impacts on downstream water availability.

SUPREME COURT OBSERVATION (2025)

• The Supreme Court declined to intervene at the preliminary stage.
• Held that the project is still at the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage.
• Directed that the matter be examined by expert bodies such as:
• Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)
• Central Water Commission (CWC)

CAUVERY RIVER

• Known as the “Ganga of the South.”
• Origin: Talakaveri, Brahmagiri Hills, Western Ghats, Karnataka.
• Flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
• Major Dams:
  • Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS)
  • Mettur Dam

SIGNIFICANCE

• Important for urban water security and hydropower generation.
• Highlights challenges of inter-state river water disputes and cooperative federalism.