Tamil Nadu government moves SC for rejection of DPR on Mekedatu project

Tamil Nadu on Friday approached the Supreme Court for a direction to the Central Water Commission to reject and return the detailed project report for the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir cum drinking water project filed by Karnataka on January 18, 2019.

In a fresh application, the state government asked the top court to restrain the Ministry of Environment and Forest and its agencies from entertaining any application for clearance relating to the Mekedatu project.

The planning of the Mekadatu project by Karnataka with a capacity of 67.16 TMC ft and generation of 400 MW power at a cost of about Rs 9000 crores is in gross violation of the decision of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (Tribunal) of February 05, 2007 as affirmed by this court in its judgment on February 16, 2018, it said.

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Tamil Nadu claimed that the project was located in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and a Reserve Forest. "The contemplation of the project is also in utter disregard to the final adjudication rendered by the Tribunal as modified by this court," it said.

Further, the proposed project would affect the flow of the river Cauvery considerably and will severely affect the irrigation in Cauvery basin of Tamil Nadu, it submitted in its plea.

"The State of Karnataka unilaterally and contrary to the judgment of this court, sent a feasibility report of the Mekedatu project to Central Water Commission (CWC), which proceeded to entertain the proposal," it said.

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The proposed reservoir would result in impounding the flows generated in river Cauvery from the uncontrolled catchment of Kabini sub-basin downstream of Kabini reservoir, the catchment of Cauvery river downstream of KRS dam, uncontrolled flows from Shimsha, Arkavathy and Suvarnavathy sub-basins and various other small streams, which are the sources to ensure 177.25 TMC at Billigundlu, it said.

The proposed construction by Karnataka would have a cascading effect on the daily and monthly inflows during the crucial months of June to September resulting in prejudicing the livelihood of lakhs of inhabitants of Tamil Nadu, it said.

Further, any new scheme contemplated should be taken up only with the consent of the other basin States as they are vitally affected by the unilateral action of the upper riparian state, the application said.