Karnataka cannot build Mekedatu dam, asserts Tamil Nadu Minister

Karnataka can never build a dam across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu, Tamil Nadu Minister for Water Resources and Rural Development N. Anand stated on Thursday. Speaking to reporters at the Tiruchi Airport, Mr. Anand responded to Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's recent claims that his State did not need Tamil Nadu's permission for the project and that BJP leaders supported it, dismissing the statements as impossible to fulfill.

Official Meetings

Following his arrival, Mr. Anand met Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil at a local hotel. The two leaders discussed the status of ongoing water supply projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission and water conservation efforts under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. Senior ministry officials alongside representatives from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Keralam, and Puducherry also took part in the regional conference.

Mukkombu Inspection

Earlier in the day, Mr. Anand made a surprise visit to the Upper Anicut at Mukkombu. He met with Chief Engineer for the River Cauvery Division A. Jayakumari, Assistant Executive Engineer V. Dinesh Kannan, and other senior officials to review barrage operations. The State government has sanctioned ₹126 crore to repair the damaged apron and barrage structure that suffered severe erosion during heavy Cauvery floods in 2021 and 2022, with work set to begin soon.

Context

Water-sharing agreements and infrastructure projects along the Cauvery River have long been a source of political tension between neighboring southern states. Regional cooperation meetings organized by the Union Ministry help coordinate water management policies across multiple states that share river basins.