- Tamil Nadu cites Supreme Court verdict and Cauvery Tribunal Award, seeks immediate Central intervention
- State asks Centre to withdraw Rajya Sabha reply on riparian consent, calls it legally untenable
- Karnataka maintains Mekedatu is vital for Bengaluru’s drinking water and hydropower needs
- Political parties in Tamil Nadu close ranks as farmers demand uncompromising legal protection
- Fresh battle shifts from riverbanks to constitutional interpretation as Centre faces balancing act
R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, JULY 28
The decades-old Cauvery water dispute has entered another sensitive phase, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that no statutory or administrative approval is granted to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir, arguing that any such clearance would be inconsistent with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Award and the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment. The development has once again brought the competing concerns of downstream irrigation in Tamil Nadu and upstream drinking water requirements in Karnataka into sharp national focus.
In a detailed letter dated July 28, Vijay expressed strong reservations over the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti’s recent reply in the Rajya Sabha, which stated that the Supreme Court’s February 16, 2018 judgment did not expressly mandate Karnataka to obtain the consent of lower riparian States before constructing any structure across the Cauvery.
Calling the parliamentary reply “legally unsustainable,” Vijay said it overlooked settled constitutional principles governing inter-State river disputes.
Referring to the Constitution Bench judgment in the Alamatti dam case, the Chief Minister argued that the Supreme Court had clearly held that the consent of downstream riparian States was essential before upstream projects affecting river flows could proceed.
“The principle laid down by the Supreme Court continues to govern the Mekedatu proposal and cannot be ignored while examining the project,” he maintained.
The Chief Minister further pointed out that while upholding the CWDT Award in 2018, the Supreme Court had reiterated that States could regulate water within their territories only in a manner consistent with the Tribunal’s directions. He also cited the Tribunal’s insistence on coordinated releases even in Kerala’s Pambar Hydro-electric Project as evidence that downstream interests must remain protected.
Seeking the Prime Minister’s intervention, Vijay urged the Centre to withdraw the Rajya Sabha reply, deny any approval to the Mekedatu project unless it fully complies with the Tribunal Award and Supreme Court judgment, and subject any future proposal to a comprehensive legal and technical examination.
“The Cauvery remains the lifeline of millions of farmers and residents across southern India,” the Chief Minister stressed while appealing for protection of the rights of Tamil Nadu and other lower riparian States.
Karnataka reiterates drinking water, power objectives
Karnataka has consistently maintained that the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir is intended primarily to provide drinking water to the rapidly expanding Bengaluru metropolitan region and generate hydropower, while asserting that it will honour Tamil Nadu’s allocated share under the Cauvery award. Karnataka leaders have also argued that surplus water flowing into the sea can be scientifically utilised without prejudicing downstream allocations.
Political consensus in Tamil Nadu
Despite sharp political rivalries, most parties in Tamil Nadu have adopted a common stand against the Mekedatu proposal.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly had earlier unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union Government not to accord approval to the project.
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has called for an all-party meeting to formulate a united legal and political strategy, questioning whether bilateral discussions alone could safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss has also demanded an all-party consultation, warning that farmers are increasingly anxious over Karnataka’s progress on the project and urging stronger legal intervention.
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee has declared that “not a single brick” should be laid at Mekedatu without Tamil Nadu’s consent, reinforcing the state’s unified political position.
Farmers on both sides remain at the heart of the dispute
For farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta, the concern remains that any upstream storage could affect timely releases required for Kuruvai and Samba cultivation, particularly during years of deficient rainfall. Farmer organisations have repeatedly urged the State government to pursue every available legal remedy to protect irrigation security.
In Karnataka, however, the project enjoys considerable support among sections of political leadership and residents who view it as critical for ensuring Bengaluru’s future drinking water security while meeting growing urban demand. The Karnataka Government continues to argue that the reservoir can coexist with the existing Cauvery allocation framework.
Centre faces delicate balancing act
The renewed exchange underscores the complexity of one of India’s longest-running inter-State river disputes. While Tamil Nadu insists that any approval without downstream consent would violate binding judicial and tribunal directions, Karnataka maintains that the project addresses genuine drinking water needs without infringing legally allocated shares.
The issue is expected to remain under close scrutiny as the Cauvery Water Management Authority, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and the Union Government continue to examine water-sharing obligations and future project proposals.
