Mekedatu Dam: Tamil Nadu Firm on Water Rights, Farmers’ Livelihood: Minister Anand

Reiterating the government's firm stand, the Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources said it was fully committed to protecting farmers' livelihoods and safeguarding the state's historical water rights.

Anand said the TVK government had taken several steps in response to Karnataka's renewed interest in the balancing reservoir project, including consulting legal experts, holding discussions with senior officials and approaching the National Green Tribunal.

He added that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed the state's opposition to the project.

A resolution was unanimously passed in the Assembly on June 19 after the House accepted the opposition DMK's demand for the formation of a tribunal.

Anand clarified that the tribunal was a strategic move to prevent Karnataka and the union government from unilaterally proceeding with the Mekedatu dam project.

Anand said the government maintained that the 2018 Supreme Court verdict had secured Tamil Nadu's share of water and no new tribunal could alter this.

He clarified that the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had not rejected Karnataka's Detailed Project Report (DPR) but returned it to the Central Water Commission (CWC) without comments, leaving the risk active.

Former DMK minister E V Velu said his party had chosen to cooperate with the new government on the issue, with the Leader of the Opposition introducing a necessary amendment to strengthen the state's legal position.

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna emphasised that the tribunal was specifically intended to address issues surrounding the construction of the Mekedatu dam and water-sharing concerns.

Tamil Nadu has been opposed to Karnataka’s move to construct the balancing reservoir at Mekedatu in that state, claiming it would affect its interests. The project proposes to meet the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru, besides hydel power generation.