Vijay Urges PM Modi to Withdraw Centre’s Stand on Mekedatu Project, Cites Supreme Court Rulings

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Union government’s recent parliamentary reply on the proposed Mekedatu dam, arguing that it overlooks established legal principles governing interstate rivers and the rights of downstream states. In a detailed letter, Vijay maintained that Karnataka cannot proceed with the project without adhering to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award and relevant Supreme Court judgments. His intervention comes even as he awaits a response from Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar regarding the immediate release of Cauvery water during the current distress season.

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Tamil Nadu CM Says Downstream States’ Rights Must Be Protected Before Any Approval

In his letter, Vijay expressed disappointment over the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s reply in the Rajya Sabha, which stated that the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment does not explicitly require Karnataka to obtain consent from downstream states before constructing a structure across the Cauvery River. According to Vijay, the response ignores settled legal precedents and constitutional principles governing interstate water disputes. He cited the Constitution Bench judgment in the Alamatti dam case.

The Chief Minister argued that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award, later upheld with modifications by the Supreme Court in 2018, clearly restricts basin states from taking unilateral decisions that could affect regulated water flows. Referring to Clause XVIII of the Tribunal Award, Vijay said every state can regulate water within its territory only in a manner consistent with the Tribunal’s directions.

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Vijay Calls for Protection of Downstream States’ Cauvery Rights

Vijay further referred to Clauses XI and XX of the Tribunal Award, stating that upper riparian states cannot alter scheduled water deliveries without mutual agreement and consultation with the regulatory authority. He asserted that the proposed Mekedatu project cannot be viewed merely as an engineering proposal and must first undergo a detailed legal examination to ensure compliance with the Tribunal Award, the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment, and the rights of downstream states. He also noted that the Central Water Commission had earlier returned Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report for revisions to ensure it complied with existing legal and technical guidelines.

Seeking the Prime Minister’s intervention, Vijay requested three safeguards before the project receives any further consideration. He asked the Centre to ensure that no statutory or administrative approval is granted unless the project fully complies with the Tribunal Award and Supreme Court judgment, that downstream states’ rights over both water quantity and regulated release patterns remain protected, and that any future evaluation is preceded by a comprehensive legal and technical review.

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