Tamil Nadu Assembly Unanimously Opposes Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam Project, Revives Cauvery Dispute

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Thursday adopted a unanimous resolution condemning Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river, reigniting a decades-old water-sharing conflict between the two states. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, asserts that the project violates the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) and the subsequent Supreme Court verdict.

Mekedatu, a multi-purpose project involving a balancing reservoir and a drinking water component, is planned by Karnataka near the border with Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu contends that the project would impound additional water that rightfully belongs to the state under the CWDT award, which allocates 419 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of water to Tamil Nadu annually. The resolution urges the central government to reject Karnataka's application for environmental clearance and not to refer the matter to the Cauvery Water Management Authority.

Speaking in the Assembly, Stalin accused Karnataka of attempting to 'divert the river's flow unilaterally' and stressed that Tamil Nadu would pursue all legal and diplomatic avenues to protect its farmers' interests. The opposition parties, including the AIADMK and the DMDK, supported the resolution, highlighting the issue's bipartisan nature.

The Cauvery dispute has a long history, with the CWDT giving its final award in 2007, modified by the Supreme Court in 2018. The Mekedatu project, estimated to cost over Rs 9,000 crore, has been a point of contention since Karnataka first proposed it in 2010. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed it, citing the tribunal's stipulation that no new projects can be taken up without mutual consent.

In response, Karnataka officials argued that Mekedatu is a 'need-based' project to address the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and surrounding areas. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that the project would not affect Tamil Nadu's share and that the state was willing to discuss the matter at the Cauvery Water Management Authority. However, Tamil Nadu remains adamant that any new project altering the river's flow is illegal without its concurrence.

The resolution comes ahead of the crucial meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority scheduled for next month, where the issue is likely to be taken up. The central government's role in mediating the dispute will be under scrutiny, given the constitutional mandate to ensure inter-state river water sharing.

Meanwhile, in Kerala, the newly-elected Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan presented his first state budget, focusing on fiscal consolidation and welfare. The budget proposed a 7% increase in allocation for education and healthcare, while aiming to reduce the state's debt-to-GDP ratio. The opposition criticized the budget as 'lacking in bold measures' to revive the economy.

On the international front, escalating clashes between Israel and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border tested the fragility of a recent U.S.-Iran understanding. The skirmishes, which resulted in casualties on both sides, raised concerns of a wider conflict. The U.S. has called for restraint, while Iran denied any involvement.