"In process of filing our new DPR": Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar on Mekedatu dam construction
New Delhi, May 26
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the state government is set to file a new Detailed Project Report for the construction of the Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery River.
Speaking with the reporters, the Deputy CM recognised it as a duty of the Central government, reiterating the state government's committment towards the construction of the dam.
"We are thankful on behalf of Karnataka, so let us take it forward. It is the duty of the Central government. We are already in the process of filing our new DPR, and we will go ahead with the Mekedatu dam," he said.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Keralam and Puducherry have a long-standing dispute over the Cauvery River water, with the proposed Mekedatu dam being a new chapter in the conflict between the two bordering states.
Earlier on Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay conducted detailed consultations with Cauvery water experts and legal experts on the proposed groundbreaking ceremony by the Karnataka government for the construction of the Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery River.
According to a press note from the Tamil Nadu government, the meeting was held in order to uphold the state's rights and safeguard the welfare of farmers. Taking into account the details of the Supreme Court judgment and detailed legal consultation, CM Vijay advised that immediate follow-up legal measures should be undertaken expeditiously.
At the meeting, it was stated that since the proposed Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery River is against the Supreme Court verdict, the Tamil Nadu Government had filed petitions in the Supreme Court opposing the project on November 30, 2028 and June 7, 2022.
It was further informed that, during the hearing of this case related to the Mekedatu dam on November 13, 2025, the Supreme Court had not granted any permission for the Mekedatu dam project and had stated that the project was still at a preliminary stage.
The court also observed that only the expert body, namely the Central Water Commission, could determine whether the project falls within the ambit of the previous judgment of the apex court, and accordingly ordered closure of the cases.
Challenging the judgment, the Tamil Nadu Government filed a review petition on December 11, 2025. The review petition had undergone in-chamber consideration before the Supreme Court during the previous regime, with the judgment reserved, and has now been dismissed by the top court, the press release stated.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who works in water resource management, I find this ongoing dispute fascinating. Cauvery water sharing is a complex issue, but both states need to prioritize scientific allocation over politics. The Supreme Court and Central Water Commission should be the final arbiters, not emotional appeals from either side.
Why is this issue still dragging on for decades? The Supreme Court has already given its verdict multiple times. Karnataka should respect the court's orders and not try to push through a project that violates existing agreements. Tamil Nadu farmers depend on Cauvery water just as much as Karnataka's. This brinkmanship helps nobody.
DK Shivakumar is playing politics again. Mekedatu was his pet project even before becoming CM, and now he's using it to score points. The real issue is Karnataka's poor water management - we waste so much water that we need dams everywhere. Fix the canals, stop leakages, use drip irrigation! A new dam won't solve everything.
The core issue is that river water sharing in India is treated like a zero-sum game. Climate change means both states will face more water stress. Instead of fighting over Mekedatu, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu should collaborate on building more reservoirs upstream and modernizing irrigation systems. But that requires political maturity which seems in short supply.
I'm a farmer in Mandya district and we desperately need this dam. Every summer our fields dry up while Tamil Nadu takes our water. Let them build their own dams if they want, but don't stop us from storing water that falls in our state. Congress government should fast-track this. We've waited too long. 💧
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