TN will turn into desert if Karnataka builds Mekedatu Dam: Vijay govt in Assembly
TN CM introduced a motion which received rare cross-party support, as lawmakers urged Central government to deny all technical and environmental clearances to Karnataka
The Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on Friday passed a unanimous resolution strongly condemning Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water Project on the Cauvery River.
The Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay introduced the resolution, which received support across party lines, including the Congress, DMK, CPI, CPM, MDMK, PMK, and other allies. The assembly described the project as a direct violation of the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and the 2018 Supreme Court judgment.
Vijay, while moving the resolution, asserted that the project disregards the Tribunal and Supreme Court orders, lacks consent from basin states, and bypasses Central permissions. The assembly urged the Centre not to grant any technical, environmental, or other clearances.
It also called for no new projects in the Cauvery basin without riparian consensus and Central nod, and appealed to the Central Water Commission not to consider Karnataka's Detailed Project Report.
Political leaders hit out at TN
Congress Minister Rajesh Kumar supported the motion, calling the dam "not just illegal but one that robs Tamil Nadu's rights". He highlighted the impact of such a dam on delta farmers and drinking water, noting Karnataka releases water only after its reservoirs fill.
DMK ally and Kongu Makkal Desiya Katchi MLA Nithyanandam stressed that Tamil Nadu's interests must take precedence over coalition ties. MNM's Prof Jawahirullah demanded contempt action against Karnataka leaders for allegedly misinterpreting the SC verdict.
Also read: Mekedatu project: Karnataka to submit DPR to Centre, DKS says TN cannot stop it
PMK's Sowmiya Anbumani and others pointed to declining water releases and their effects on 5.5 crore people in 28 Tamil Nadu districts.
Udhayanidhi Stalin called for collective action, including MPs, to press the Centre. CPI and others warned the dam would turn Tamil Nadu into a 'desert'.
Dispute escalates
This resolution escalates the dispute in India's quasi-federal structure, where water is a state subject but inter-state rivers and major projects fall under Central purview via bodies like the Cauvery Water Management Authority and Central Water Commission.
Tamil Nadu accuses the Centre of perceived bias toward Karnataka in past implementations, while Karnataka seeks Central clearances. Both states have vowed to pursue legal and political routes, keeping the decades-old Cauvery conflict alive.
Also read: Why Mekedatu will be an acid test for new CMs DK Shivakumar and Vijay
The Cauvery water-sharing issue has been a flashpoint between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for decades.
Tamil Nadu, particularly the delta districts, relies heavily on Cauvery water for irrigation supporting millions of farmers and drinking water needs.
The battle for water
The 2007 Tribunal and 2018 Supreme Court verdicts allocated specific shares, declaring the basin a "deficit" area where new projects require consensus among riparian states and Central approval.
Karnataka argues the Mekedatu project (near Kanakapura) is essential for Bengaluru's drinking water and limited hydropower, claiming it will not reduce Tamil Nadu's share and may even help regulate flows. Tamil Nadu counters that any new storage upstream threatens downstream flows, especially in deficit years, and bypasses required approvals.
Recent developments include the Supreme Court dismissing Tamil Nadu's review petition in May 2026 as 'premature,' as the project remains at the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage under Central scrutiny.
Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar has pushed the project forward, recently stating it is the 'heart of southern states' and that his government is ready to talk with Tamil Nadu while ensuring 177 TMC of water as per allocations.
He emphasised that there will be no irrigation use from the reservoir and it will be used only for Bengaluru drinking water and accused Tamil Nadu of politicising the issue.
