Creating a crisis where none exists has become the classic functioning style of Congress governments. In yet another flashpoint over the decades-long Cauvery water dispute, the Congress government in Karnataka has reignited tensions by aggressively pushing ahead with the controversial Mekedatu reservoir project despite strong objections from Tamil Nadu and the matter remaining under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court. The move has triggered sharp political and legal reactions, with critics accusing the Karnataka Congress government of attempting to create a fresh confrontation in an already water-deficit Cauvery basin.
Reacting strongly to Karnataka’s proposal to construct a new reservoir and its announcement of a proposed “Bhoomi Puja” for the Mekedatu project, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay termed the move a “clear violation” of both the Supreme Court verdict and the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT).
In a detailed communication addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 26, CM Vijay urged the Centre to immediately reject Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu project and ensure that no further steps are taken in violation of the Supreme Court judgment governing the Cauvery water-sharing arrangement.
கர்நாடக அரசால் காவிரி ஆற்றின் குறுக்கே மேகதாது அணை தொடர்பாக உத்தேசிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பூமிபூஜை நிகழ்வைத் தொடர்ந்து, தமிழ்நாட்டின் உரிமையை நிலைநாட்டிடவும், விவசாயிகளின் நலனைக் காத்திடவும், மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு.ச.ஜோசப் விஜய் அவர்கள் இன்று (26.05.2026) மாண்புமிகு… pic.twitter.com/CJp7ZXJWX2
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) May 26, 2026
Expressing deep concern over Karnataka’s announcement of a “Bhoomi Puja” for the project, CM Vijay stated that the development had caused widespread anxiety among farmers in Tamil Nadu who are heavily dependent on Cauvery waters for their agriculture and livelihood.
The Tamil Nadu government maintained that the Mekedatu project had never been approved under the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, which was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court in its landmark February 16, 2018 judgment.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister reminded the Centre that the Cauvery basin had already been categorised as a water-deficient basin and that the available water had been fully allocated among the riparian States after a legal battle spanning nearly three decades.
He asserted that there was no scope for any additional utilisation or creation of a massive new storage reservoir beyond what had already been permitted under the Tribunal’s award and affirmed by the Supreme Court.
CM Joseph further argued that Karnataka’s proposal to construct a massive reservoir with a storage capacity of 67.16 TMC near the Tamil Nadu border could directly obstruct the natural flow of water that Tamil Nadu is legally entitled to receive under the CWDT award and the Supreme Court verdict. He also pointed out that the apex court had clearly ruled that upper riparian States could not undertake actions affecting scheduled water deliveries to lower riparian States, making Karnataka’s move a direct challenge to the court’s judgment.
The Tamil Nadu government additionally highlighted that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had earlier declined to grant Terms of Reference (ToR) for an Environmental Impact Assessment due to unresolved inter-State disputes surrounding the project.
Referring to the Supreme Court hearing held on November 13, 2025, CM Vijay noted that the apex court had not granted permission for the Mekedatu dam and had observed that the project remained only at a preliminary stage. He added that the Court had clarified that only the Central Water Commission (CWC), as the expert body, could determine whether the project fell within the ambit of its earlier judgment.
Coming down heavily on the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Water Commission, the Tamil Nadu government questioned why Karnataka’s proposal continued to be entertained despite repeated and strong objections from Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Minister appealed to the Centre to direct the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the CWC to reject the DPR outright and ensure that Karnataka does not proceed with any new project on the Cauvery without the concurrence of co-basin States.
The Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir And Drinking Water Project is located at Muguru and Mekedatu villages, Kanakapura and Kollegal Taluks of Ramanagara and Chamarajanagar Districts of Karnataka.
The Cauvery River is an inter-State river originating in Karnataka and draining into the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu, with its basin spread across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Flowing nearly 800 km from west to east, the river traverses about 320 km in Karnataka, shares a common boundary of around 64 km between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and further flows about 357 km through Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
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