Karnataka will build Mekedatu dam and release Tamil Nadu's water share
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asserted the project is a state right and invited a Tamil Nadu delegation to discuss its benefits.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday reiterated the state's commitment to constructing the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project. Speaking to reporters at the Vidhana Soudha premises in Bengaluru, Shivakumar stated that the project is a state right and that the government will not back down from safeguarding its interests, according to reports by ANI, The Hindu and The New Indian Express.
Shivakumar said the state will honour Tamil Nadu's entitlement to 177 TMC of water as stipulated by the Supreme Court. He emphasised that building the dam and releasing water is both a right and a duty. He also invited the neighbouring state to send a delegation to the dam site so he could explain the project's benefits.
The Chief Minister described opposition to the project as being driven by political compulsions. He noted that while political parties may compete, states should cooperate on development. Shivakumar added that the state is seeking necessary forest and environmental clearances from the Central Government and is preparing required documents.
The remarks follow an appeal by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President Manickam Tagore, who urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to escalate legal defences against the dam. Tagore stated that the matter remains sub judice and that Tamil Nadu is actively contesting the project before the Supreme Court.
Tagore noted that according to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and Supreme Court judgment, Tamil Nadu is entitled to 177.25 TMC of water. This includes 60 TMC from the Kabini dam, 52 TMC from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam, and 80 TMC from rainfall in uncontrolled catchment areas.