Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, President of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), has urged the Union government to block Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report for the Mekedatu dam [1].
The dispute centers on water rights and regional sovereignty between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Because the project involves the diversion of river water, it has become a flashpoint for political tension regarding agricultural sustainability and state consent.
Ramadoss said the central government should not accept the report prepared by Karnataka [2]. He said the Tamil Nadu government should press the Union government to revoke the 2018 permission [3] that allowed the preparation of the draft project report for the dam's construction.
According to the PMK leader, the Detailed Project Report was developed without the consent of Tamil Nadu [4]. This lack of agreement, he said, undermines the interests of the state.
Beyond the dam report, Ramadoss called for the postponement of the 50th [5] Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting. The meeting was scheduled for April 29, 2024 [6].
Ramadoss said the meeting should be delayed because elected representatives were not present and the state was heading into elections [7]. He said that proceeding with the meeting under those circumstances would be improper.
While the PMK continues to seek federal intervention, the project remains a point of contention. The Congress party has previously defended the project as a right for farmers in Karnataka [1].
“"I urge the Centre not to accept the detailed project report prepared by Karnataka for the proposed Mekedatu dam."”
The demand to block the Mekedatu dam project reflects the long-standing legal and political struggle over the Cauvery River's waters. By calling for the revocation of the 2018 approval and the postponement of the CWMA meeting, the PMK is leveraging federal authority to prevent Karnataka from advancing infrastructure that Tamil Nadu views as a threat to its own water security.
