Tamil Nadu Minister Defends Tribunal Route for Mekedatu Dam Dispute
Tamil Nadu's Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources, N. Anand, assured the state assembly on Monday that the creation of a new tribunal to address the Mekedatu dam project would not harm the state's interests. He emphasized that this approach is the most effective way to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights over surplus Cauvery water.
“We cannot remain idle when the Centre and the Karnataka government, citing new guidelines, seek to construct a dam at Mekedatu. The tribunal route is the best approach. It can establish Tamil Nadu’s rights over the surplus water and prevent unilateral decisions by the Union government,” Anand said.
The minister corrected a misconception that the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had rejected Karnataka's Detailed Project Report (DPR). He clarified that the CWMA had forwarded the DPR to the Central Water Commission (CWC) without providing any comments. “Therefore, the threat posed by the proposed dam has not ended,” he added.
According to Anand, the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment did not conclusively determine the issue of surplus water. Karnataka subsequently filed another original petition on this matter. “It is our contention before the Supreme Court that any new dispute arising under the Cauvery water-sharing arrangement can be resolved only through a tribunal, as provided under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956,” he stated.
The Mekedatu dam project, proposed by Karnataka on the Cauvery River, has been a point of contention between the two states. Tamil Nadu fears that the dam would reduce its share of water, especially during dry seasons. The central government's involvement has added to the complexity, with Tamil Nadu seeking legal recourse to protect its interests.
The minister's comments come amid ongoing debates over water-sharing agreements and the interpretation of Supreme Court rulings. The tribunal route, as per the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, offers a structured mechanism to resolve such interstate river disputes.
