Mekedatu Dam:
Karnataka has announced that it would submit a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Centre for the Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery river.
- This comes after Tamil Nadu raised concerns over Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam, citing Cauvery water disputes, excessive water storage, and irregular water release.
- Mekedatu Dam involves constructing a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura, Karnataka, at the deep gorge of Mekedatu where the Cauvery and
- Arkavathi rivers meet aims to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and nearby areas and generate 400 MW of hydroelectric power.
- Controversy: Tamil Nadu, the lower riparian state, strongly opposes the project, fearing reduced downstream water flow and is central to the Cauvery River water sharing dispute.
- Cauvery River Water Dispute dispute involves Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The Cauvery river originates in Karnataka, flows through Tamil Nadu, with major tributaries from Kerala.
- The dispute is over 150 years old, originating from 1892 and 1924 agreements between the Madras Presidency and Mysore, that required the upper riparian state (Karnataka) to obtain consent from the lower riparian state (Tamil Nadu) for construction projects.
