Tamil Nadu CM seeks rejection of Karnataka's Mekedatu dam project
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to block clearances for the reservoir without consent from co-basin states.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop Karnataka from moving forward with its Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery river without the agreement of all co-basin states, according to ANI and Moneycontrol.
In a letter dated November 6, Vijay asked the Centre to reject Karnataka's Detailed Project Report (DPR) and halt any administrative or technical actions following a recent site inspection by Union government officials.
The Chief Minister expressed concern that the proposed 67.16 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) reservoir, located upstream of the inter-state border, would restrict water flow and impact monthly deliveries to Tamil Nadu as mandated by the Supreme Court.
Vijay stated that the project causes perpetual anxiety among farmers in the Cauvery Delta, who are already facing difficulties during the 2026-27 deficit water year.
He argued that the proposal is inconsistent with the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award and the 2018 Supreme Court judgment. Karnataka has proposed an investment of approximately Rs 9,000 crore for the project.
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly had previously passed a unanimous resolution on June 19, 2026, to withhold all clearances for the project. Additionally, an application was filed with the National Green Tribunal on May 27 to restrain the Environment Ministry from granting permissions.