D K Shivakumar welcomes SC verdict dismissing Tamil Nadu’s plea on Mekedatu project

'We will build it in our area and with our funds. We will also help Tamil Nadu during deficient rainfall. It is a balancing reservoir,' Shivakumar said.

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday hailed the Supreme Court's rejection of neighbouring Tamil Nadu’s plea against the construction of the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River in Karnataka.

Welcoming the ruling, Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, said, "Justice has flown from the seat of justice."

He asserted that Karnataka had merely sought its rightful share of Cauvery water.

Terming the plea as "premature", a bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria said the plan would be approved only after considering the objections of the state and the opinions of the expert bodies—the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar said, "That is what we were requesting—our right and our water. We are not disturbing anyone. Tamil Nadu will also benefit and get sufficient water."

He said the state would proceed with the project and construct the reservoir within Karnataka at its own cost.

"We will build it in our area and with our funds. We will also help Tamil Nadu during deficient rainfall. It is a balancing reservoir," he added.

Calling the verdict "a victory for Bengalureans", he said it would benefit not only the residents of the Karnataka capital and its visitors but also Tamil Nadu, which would receive sufficient water.

"I request Tamil Nadu to accept it with humility. Let us work together. They don't have any other option. They have to give us justice," he said.

The Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project, proposed by the Karnataka government, involves constructing a dam across the Cauvery River primarily to supply drinking water to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region and generate hydroelectric power.

The long-pending project, located near the deep gorge of Mekedatu (goat’s leap in Kannada)—where the Arkavathi River joins the Cauvery on the border of Ramanagara and Chamarajanagar districts—aims to utilise 4.75 TMC ft of water to meet the growing needs of Bengaluru and surrounding areas, while generating about 400 MW of power annually.

According to officials in the Water Resources Department, the reservoir will act as a buffer, ensuring Tamil Nadu receives its share of Cauvery water without depleting the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam.

The cost of the project is estimated to be between Rs 9,000 crore and Rs 14,000 crore, officials said.