The long-running Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu came to the fore at a meeting of southern chief ministers with Union home minister Amit Shah in Mahabalipuram on Thursday. Now, Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay is facing heat from the Opposition in Tamil Nadu over his response to the contentious Mekedatu dam project.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party, alleged that Shivakumar openly argued in favour of the Mekedatu project while Vijay did not directly oppose it during the meeting.
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said Vijay’s silence was particularly significant given Tamil Nadu’s long-standing opposition to the proposed dam.
“At the meeting of southern chief ministers held in Tamil Nadu, DK Shivakumar openly spoke in favour of constructing the Mekedatu dam. However, CM Vijay, who was present there, remained silent without uttering a single word in opposition.”
Maran’s remarks came as the two states remain locked in a dispute over the sharing of Cauvery water, with the proposed Mekedatu reservoir adding another contentious layer to the issue.
What did Vijay say?
During the meeting, Vijay stressed that any intervention by an upper riparian state that could affect the lower riparian state’s share of an inter-state river must comply with the law. However, the DMK argues that Vijay did not specifically name the Mekedatu project in his address.
“Water is fundamental to the lives, agriculture, and livelihoods of millions, and the management of interstate rivers demands both cooperation and unwavering respect for the rule of law,” the Tamil Nadu CM said.
He said the rights of lower riparian states and the livelihoods dependent on assured river flows must be protected.
“First, the legitimate rights of lower riparian States and the livelihoods that depend on assured river flows must be fully protected. Second, the judgments of the Supreme Court, the awards of duly constituted tribunals, and the statutory mechanisms established for river management must be implemented in letter and spirit,” he added.
Shivakumar’s Mekedatu assurance
Shivakumar, meanwhile, made his position on the proposed dam clear after the meeting. He said Karnataka had assured Tamil Nadu and Puducherry that their interests would be protected if the Mekedatu reservoir is built.
“I have made a commitment to the state of Tamil Nadu before the home minister that whatever Mekedatu Dam water is there, even a single drop of water, except for drinking water of 5 TMC, the rest of the water will be left to Tamil Nadu itself.”
“So Tamil Nadu and Puducherry shall rest assured. The dam will be built only for you, not for us,” he added.
Vijay’s earlier stand on Mekedatu
Vijay had already outlined his government’s position on the issue earlier this month while responding to the Cauvery dispute in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
“On the Cauvery issue, some members have asked for details. Cauvery is our lifeline, it is an emotional issue for us,” he said in the state Assembly.
Vijay said the Tamil Nadu Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in June and sent it directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the state government subsequently wrote to the Prime Minister after learning that the Union minister of state for Jal Shakti had not provided complete details on the proposed dam.
Vijay also said his government would not compromise on Tamil Nadu’s rights, either on Cauvery water sharing or on opposing construction of the Mekedatu dam.
“That is our clear stand,” Vijay said.
Why Mekedatu remains contentious
The proposed Mekedatu project is planned in Karnataka’s Ramanagaram district, around 100 km south of Bengaluru, close to where the Cauvery flows towards Tamil Nadu.
Karnataka has argued that the reservoir would help meet Bengaluru’s drinking water needs and regulate water flows. Tamil Nadu, however, has opposed the project, maintaining that a new reservoir in the upper riparian state could affect the flow of Cauvery water into Tamil Nadu.
