Chennai, July 28: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the central government not to grant any legal or administrative approval for Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project. He argues that this would violate the decisions of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court‘s ruling on the Cauvery water-sharing dispute from 2018.
In his letter dated July 28, the Chief Minister expressed concern over a response given by the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti in the Rajya Sabha. The response stated that the Supreme Court’s February 16, 2018, ruling did not explicitly require Karnataka to obtain consent from downstream states before constructing any structures on the Cauvery River.
Chief Minister Vijay deemed this response legally incorrect, claiming it overlooks established judicial principles related to interstate river disputes. He referenced the Supreme Court’s decision in the Almatti Dam case between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which clearly stated that consent from downstream states is necessary before upper riparian states initiate such projects.
He argued that this principle also applies to the Mekedatu proposal and cannot be ignored during project consideration. The letter further noted that the Supreme Court, while upholding the CWDT’s decision in 2018, confirmed that states can regulate water within their territories only in accordance with the tribunal’s directives.
Vijay highlighted that the tribunal had previously emphasized the importance of coordination in releasing water for Kerala’s Pamba hydroelectric project, reflecting the need to protect the interests of downstream areas. He also cited provisions from the tribunal’s decisions that require mutual consent and consultation before taking any actions that could affect the agreed water supply.
Demanding intervention from the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister requested the central government to retract the response given in the Rajya Sabha and ensure that the Mekedatu project does not receive approval until it fully complies with the tribunal’s decisions and the Supreme Court’s orders, thereby safeguarding the rights of Tamil Nadu and other downstream states.
He also stressed that any future consideration of the project should undergo comprehensive legal and technical scrutiny, emphasizing that the Cauvery River is a lifeline for millions of farmers and residents in South India.
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