Tamil Nadu CM Vijay requests PM Modi to halt approval for Mekedatu project

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting that no statutory or administrative approval be granted for the Karnataka government's proposed Mekedatu Dam project. Chief Minister Vijay emphatically stated that this project should not be proceeded with without the consent of the co-basin states. He emphasized the need to ensure the continuous availability of water in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery basin.

Chief Minister Vijay expressed deep concern in his letter regarding the alleged site inspection process carried out by central government officials. He stated that these visits by central teams have spread great fear and anxiety among the farmers of Tamil Nadu. In particular, the concerns of Cauvery delta farmers, who are already struggling in the 2026-27 water-deficit year, have increased. According to the Chief Minister, farmers are facing difficulties as Karnataka is not ensuring Tamil Nadu's proper share, even on a pro-rata basis, and at such a time, the visits by central officials are being viewed as a hidden signal towards the project.

The letter provides detailed information regarding the capacity and geographical location of the Mekedatu reservoir. Chief Minister Vijay stated that the Karnataka government intends to build a reservoir with a massive capacity of 67.16 TMC on the Cauvery river, which is located just upstream of the interstate border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. If this project is implemented, it will not only block the flow of water towards Tamil Nadu but will also adversely affect the monthly water supply received by the residents of Tamil Nadu's Cauvery basin, as determined by the Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister noted that the Chief Minister of Karnataka is holding frequent meetings with officials from the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the approval of the Mekedatu project's DPR (Detailed Project Report). All these processes are being carried out without Tamil Nadu's consent, causing constant anxiety among the state's farmers. According to a report by India Today, the letter has requested the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Environment to halt any technical evaluation without the consent of the lower riparian states.

Chief Minister Vijay clarified that it is extremely important to fully protect the rights of the lower riparian states, especially regarding water quantity and the regular method of monthly release. Therefore, considering the Mekedatu project's DPR submitted by Karnataka, or conducting unilateral technical evaluations or site inspections by central agencies, is highly inappropriate at this stage. He requested the Prime Minister to immediately halt any administrative proceedings associated with the recent site visits.

Referring to the previous actions of the Tamil Nadu government on this issue, the Chief Minister stated that he had also written a letter to the Prime Minister on July 28 requesting that no approval be given to the Mekedatu project until it is proven to be consistent with the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) and the Supreme Court judgment. Additionally, on June 19, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution reiterating its demands against the Mekedatu project.

Furthermore, the Tamil Nadu government has also filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court. In this petition, a demand has been made to withdraw the guidelines specially issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in December 2025 for preparing the DPR of the irrigation and multi-purpose project for the Cauvery basin. Chief Minister Vijay reminded that since the Tribunal had declared the Cauvery basin 'deficit' in February 2007, such guidelines are improper. This matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court.

According to the India Today report, the impact of this project will not only be on the delta farmers of six districts of Tamil Nadu, who depend on Cauvery water for paddy cultivation, but also on Puducherry and Kerala, as they also depend on the flow of the Cauvery river. Chief Minister Vijay has requested Prime Minister Modi to advise the Karnataka government not to proceed with this project without the consent of the co-basin states.

This entire dispute is part of the long-standing conflict between the South Indian states regarding the sharing of Cauvery river water and plans to build dams on it.