Mekedatu row: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay urges PM Modi to halt Karnataka dam proposal without state consent

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to grant any statutory or administrative approvals for Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project without the consent of the co-basin states, citing concerns over sustained water availability in the Cauvery basin.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Vijay expressed concern over the recent site inspection conducted by Union government officials in connection with Karnataka's proposed project. He urged the Centre to defer any further administrative or technical action arising from the inspection.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also asked Modi to advise Karnataka against proceeding with the project without obtaining the consent of the other Cauvery basin states.


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Vijay said the proposed 67.16 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) reservoir would not merely prevent the flow of Cauvery water into Tamil Nadu but could also affect the state's monthly water deliveries. He stressed that ensuring sustained water availability in the Cauvery basin was essential to protecting Tamil Nadu's interests.

What is the Mekedatu project?

The Mekedatu project is a proposed balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river in Karnataka, near Kanakapura. Karnataka has proposed the project to meet Bengaluru's drinking water requirements and generate hydroelectric power. The state has maintained that the project would not adversely affect Tamil Nadu's interests. Tamil Nadu, however, has consistently opposed it, arguing that the Cauvery basin's water resources have already been apportioned among the basin states and that the project could affect its allocated water supply.