Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Consults Experts on Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam Project

NEW DELHI: In a development that could strain ties between new allies Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the Congress, the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government on Monday held consultations with Cauvery water and legal experts over the proposed foundation stone ceremony announced by neighbouring Karnataka for the Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery River. Karnataka, incidentally, is governed by the Congress, and has proposed the construction of the Mekedatu dam, triggering fresh political and inter-state sensitivities over the river water-sharing issue.

According to a press note from the Tamil Nadu government, the meeting, chaired by new chief minister and actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay, was convened 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," the statement added.

The statement further noted that since the proposed Mekedatu dam is contrary to a Supreme Court verdict, the then-Tamil Nadu government had filed petitions in the Supreme Court opposing the project on November 30, 2018, and June 7, 2022. It was further informed that during the hearing on November 13, 2025, related to the Supreme Court had not granted permission for the Mekedatu dam and observed that it remained at a preliminary stage. The court also noted that only the expert body, the Central Water Commission, could determine whether the project falls within the ambit of its earlier judgment, and accordingly ordered closure of the cases.

Challenging the ruling, the erstwhile Tamil Nadu government filed a review petition on December 11, 2025. The petition was taken up for in-chamber consideration in the Supreme Court during the previous regime, with judgment reserved, and has now been dismissed, the press release stated.

CM Vijay's meeting came after Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Mekedatu would soon be submitted to the Centre, with the foundation stone ceremony planned 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 told reporters.

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry have a long-standing dispute over Cauvery River water, with the issue particularly sensitive in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and, at times, triggering violent protests. Kerala, too, is now governed by the Congress, while Puducherry is led by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).