According to sources with rising tensions over the proposed construction of the Mekedatu reservoir cum drinking water project on the river Cauvery, Tamilnadu has moved the Supreme Court, seeking to restrain Karnataka from proceeding with its detailed project report. Meanwhile the civil appeal before the apex court also seeks to direct Karnataka to not proceed with construction.
It states “Restrain the State of Karnataka from proceeding with the construction of two reservoirs at Mekedatu across river Cauvery as contemplated by the State of Karnataka or any other new projects across the river Cauvery in Karnataka which are not contemplated and/or permitted in the final decision of the Tribunal”. Furthermore the appeal reiterates the "serious objections" raised by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in his letter to the Prime Minister in September wherein he termed Karnataka's proposal a violation of the February 2018 verdict of the apex court. Moreover the Supreme Court had settled the centuries long river dispute between the two states, with the formation of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
Reportedly Karnataka has said that the project is aimed to alleviate the drinking water woes of Bengaluru and Ramanagara as well as to generate hydro-electricity for the state, Tamilnadu has alleged that it is an attempt to increase the extent of irrigation.
