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• The Supreme Court has dismissed Tamil Nadu’s review petition opposing Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery river.
• Karnataka stated that it would continue work on the project’s revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) following the court’s decision.
• Tamil Nadu has maintained that the project could impact downstream water availability and affect existing Cauvery water-sharing arrangements.
The Supreme Court has rejected Tamil Nadu’s review petition challenging Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, providing fresh momentum to the long-pending interstate water infrastructure proposal on the Cauvery river. Advertisement
The review plea had been filed against an earlier Supreme Court order in which the court had declined to interfere with Karnataka’s proposal at the current stage. With the latest ruling, the apex court has effectively upheld its earlier position, allowing the project-related process to continue before the concerned authorities and expert bodies.
The Mekedatu project has been proposed by Karnataka near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district and is intended to create a balancing reservoir on the Cauvery river. Karnataka has consistently maintained that the project is primarily aimed at strengthening drinking water supply for Bengaluru and nearby regions while also supporting hydroelectric power generation.
Following the court’s decision, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar stated that the state would proceed with preparation of a revised Detailed Project Report for submission to the Union government. He also indicated that Karnataka remained committed to complying with existing Cauvery water-sharing directions issued by competent authorities.
Tamil Nadu has repeatedly opposed the project, arguing that construction of an additional reservoir upstream could affect water flow into the Cauvery delta region and adversely impact irrigation and agricultural activity dependent on the river system. The state has also maintained that any new project on the Cauvery should not proceed without consent from downstream states.
The Cauvery river dispute has historically remained one of southern India’s most sensitive interstate water-sharing issues, involving prolonged legal proceedings, tribunal awards and periodic political disagreements between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Water allocation during low-rainfall periods has frequently triggered tensions between the two states.
The Supreme Court had earlier observed that issues linked to technical evaluation and project clearance were already under examination by institutions such as the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC). The court had also indicated that objections raised at the present stage could be addressed during the regulatory and approval process.
Infrastructure and water resource experts note that the Mekedatu project remains subject to multiple layers of technical, environmental and administrative clearances before construction activity can begin. Environmental permissions, interstate coordination and approval of the revised DPR are expected to remain key components of the next phase of the process.
The latest ruling is likely to strengthen Karnataka’s efforts to advance the proposal administratively, although opposition from Tamil Nadu is expected to continue at both political and legal levels. The project remains closely tied to larger debates surrounding interstate river management, urban water security and agricultural dependency across the Cauvery basin.
Source PTI
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