SC quashes TN's petition to restrain Karnataka from building dam

The Supreme Court on Thursday (November 14) quashed a petition filed by Tamil Nadu seeking a restriction on Karnataka’s construction of a dam across River Markandeya, which is a tributary of River Pennaiyar.

The apex court thereby has allowed Karnataka to build the dam near Yargol village in Kolar district.

The Tamil Nadu government claimed that Karnataka had not obtained their permission to build the dam. It said the construction of the dam would restrict the flow of water in Tamil Nadu, which, in turn, would affect irrigation in the state.

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However, the Karnataka government told the Supreme Court that the dam was being constructed to meet the water needs of the state.

Pennaiyar originates from the Nandi Hills in the Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows through Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai and Viluppuram districts of Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.