Tamil Nadu rejects Karnataka's Mekedatu dam proposal

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has declared that the construction of the proposed Mekedatu dam by Karnataka can never be accepted, intensifying a long-standing interstate water dispute. The statement, made on June 19, 2026, reaffirms Tamil Nadu's firm opposition to the project, which it views as a direct threat to its water rights and the livelihoods of farmers in the Cauvery delta region.

Chief Minister Vijay argued that the Mekedatu project violates existing legal frameworks, including the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and subsequent Supreme Court judgments. He emphasized that no new project can be undertaken in the Cauvery basin without the consent of all co-basin states and accused Karnataka of attempting to proceed unilaterally. The Chief Minister warned that the proposed reservoir, planned near the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border, could restrict the natural flow of water downstream, severely impacting irrigation. He stated that Tamil Nadu will pursue all legal and political measures to stop the project and has urged the Union Government to reject Karnataka's Detailed Project Report.

The position was previously outlined in the Tamil Nadu...