Mekedatu project

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a review petition filed by Tamil Nadu against its November 2025 judgment, which had termed the State’s challenge to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu project as “premature”.

• Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and resolve the dispute with Karnataka.

About the Mekedatu Project

• The Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project is a proposed multi-purpose project on the Cauvery River. It involves the construction of a balancing reservoir near Mekedatu to store and regulate river water flow.
• The project aims to:
  • Supply drinking water to Bengaluru Metropolitan Region and nearby areas
  • Utilize around 4.75 TMC of water for drinking purposes
  • Generate nearly 400 MW of hydroelectric power as an additional benefit
• The project is proposed across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu, a deep gorge located near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district of Karnataka. Mekedatu, meaning “goat’s leap” in Kannada, lies about 4 km upstream of the Tamil Nadu border.

Why Tamil Nadu Opposes the Project

• Tamil Nadu has expressed concerns that the reservoir may affect downstream water flow into the State, especially during dry seasons. The State argues that the project could violate the water-sharing arrangements under the Cauvery dispute settlement framework.

Cauvery Water Dispute Context

• The Cauvery river water dispute involves allocation of river water among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
• The dispute has historically centered on irrigation needs, drinking water requirements and reservoir management.
• Environmental groups have also raised concerns because the project area falls near ecologically sensitive forest regions and wildlife habitats in the Cauvery basin.