Mekedatu Dam Project and Cauvery River Dispute
#GS-2 #Indian Polity & Constitution #Inter-State Relations #Economy #Infrastructure #Geography #Current Events #National #Gujarat
Why in News
- The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution against Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam plan on 23 Jun 2026.
- Karnataka is ready for discussions and states that the project will not reduce Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water.
About the Project
- Karnataka proposed the Mekedatu project on the Cauvery river inside its own borders near Mekedatu in Ramanagara district.
- The plan works as a balancing reservoir to control Cauvery river flows and better manage water.
Main Objectives
- The project aims to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and nearby regions.
- It plans to regulate water release to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu and produce 400 MW of hydroelectric power.
Concerns
- Tamil Nadu believes no new dam should be built in the Cauvery basin without agreement from other basin states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry.
- It also requires permission from the Union government and other valid authorities before starting.
Supreme Court Ruling
- In November 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed Tamil Nadu’s petition at that time.
- The court noted that the matter was still at the Detailed Project Report stage and needed review by expert groups like the Cauvery Water Management Authority and Central Water Commission.
Cauvery River Overview
- The Kaveri River is a major river in South India, often called the Dakshin Bharat ki Ganga.
- It starts at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri Range of the Western Ghats in Kodagu district, Karnataka.
- It flows for roughly 800 km southeast across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before draining into the Bay of Bengal near Poompuhar.
Key Tributaries and Dams
- Left bank tributaries include Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, and Arkavati.
- Right bank tributaries include Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Suvarnavathi, Bhavani, Noyyal, and Amaravati.
- Major dams on the river are Krishna Raja Sagara in Karnataka and Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu.