Tamil Nadu Assembly Unanimously Passes Resolution Against Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam Project
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government not to grant any approval, including technical and environmental clearances, for Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam project.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, strongly objected to Karnataka’s “unilateral move” to construct a dam across the river Cauvery. It stated that the proposal ignored the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final award of 2007 and the Supreme Court’s 2018 order, and had been pursued without the concurrence of the basin states or approval from the Union government. “Such an action is not at all acceptable,” the resolution said.
The government noted that both the tribunal and the Supreme Court had observed that the Cauvery basin was a deficit basin and that the available water had already been apportioned among the states. It argued that no new project could be taken up in the basin, and no additional quantity of water could be utilized.
“The Cauvery issue is a highly sensitive matter between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Therefore, this August House urges the Union government to advise the government of Karnataka not to undertake the construction of a dam or any new water storage project at Mekedatu or at any other location in the Cauvery basin without the concurrence of the other basin states and without the approval of the Union government,” the resolution said. The Assembly also urged the Central Water Commission not to examine, process, or approve the detailed project report submitted by the Karnataka government.
It unanimously backed the measures taken by the Tamil Nadu government to prevent Karnataka’s proposed project and safeguard the interests of the state’s farmers.
Background of the Cauvery Water Dispute
The Cauvery water dispute has been a long-standing issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with both states relying on the river for irrigation and drinking water. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal delivered its final award in 2007, which was later upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The tribunal and the court allocated specific shares of water to each state, emphasizing that the basin is water-deficient.
Karnataka’s proposal to build a dam at Mekedatu has been a point of contention, as Tamil Nadu fears that the project would reduce the flow of water into its territory, affecting farming and drinking water supplies. The Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the project, citing legal and environmental concerns.
The resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu assembly is the latest in a series of actions taken by the state to protect its water rights. The state government has also approached the Supreme Court on the matter, seeking to block the project.
