The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution on June 19, firmly opposing the proposed Mekedatu Dam Project across the Cauvery river. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay moved the resolution in the House, stating that the project was initiated without the consent of Cauvery basin states and without approval from the Union Government.
Legal and Constitutional Grounds
The resolution cites the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award of 2007 and the Supreme Court judgment of 2018, asserting that the Cauvery basin is a deficit basin and that water shares have already been fully allocated. On this basis, the Assembly maintained that no new dam or additional storage project can be permitted in the basin.
Demands on the Union Government
The House urged the Union Government to deny all forms of clearance, including technical and environmental approvals, for the Mekedatu project. It also called on the Central Water Commission to halt examination and processing of the Detailed Project Report submitted by Karnataka.
Call to Karnataka
The resolution further urged the Centre to advise Karnataka against proceeding with any construction without consensus from basin states and central approval. It reaffirmed Tamil Nadu’s commitment to protect farmers’ interests, particularly in the Cauvery delta region.
The Mekedatu project continues to remain a major point of disagreement between the two states, keeping the Cauvery water dispute at the centre of inter-state tensions.
