Tamil Nadu: CM Vijay calls for legal measures over Cauvery River dispute as Karnataka govt proposes Mekedatu dam
Chennai, May 25
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday 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.
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.
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.
The meeting comes after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu project will be submitted to the Centre soon, and the groundbreaking ceremony will be held after obtaining Union government approval.
"The DPR for the Mekedatu project has been prepared, and a project office has been opened. We are identifying alternate land to compensate for the forest area that will be submerged. The DPR will be submitted to the Centre shortly. Once the Centre grants approval, we will perform the bhoomi puja for the project," Shivakumar said.
On the Cauvery issue, he noted, "There is a clear order to release 177 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu. We will discuss how to resolve this in the coming days. The Supreme Court has ruled that Tamil Nadu has no right to object to the Mekedatu project and that the Central Water Commission must take a decision on it."
— ANI
Reader Comments
CM Vijay is right to take legal action. We cannot let Karnataka build a dam that will affect our farmers' livelihoods. The Cauvery is our lifeline too. But I hope this doesn't become another never-ending court case. We need a permanent solution, not just legal battles year after year.
As an outsider looking in, this seems like a classic case of upstream vs downstream states. In many countries, such disputes are resolved by river basin authorities. India needs a more robust federal mechanism for inter-state river conflicts rather than relying only on courts.
I'm from Karnataka and I understand Tamil Nadu's concerns, but our people also need water for drinking and irrigation. The Mekedatu project can actually help regulate flow and reduce flooding during monsoons. Why can't both states sit together and find a win-win solution instead of going to court every time? 😔
It's been decades of this dispute. Both states spend crores on legal fees instead of investing that money in water conservation, desalination plants, and modern irrigation techniques. The real issue is inefficient water management on both sides. Respectfully, CM Vijay should push for technology solutions too, not just legal remedies.
Interesting how the Supreme Court has effectively kicked this to the Central Water Commission. That seems like a sensible approach - let the technical experts decide. Both states have legitimate needs, but the decision should be based on hydrology and engineering, not politics. Let's hope the CWC does its job properly.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.