Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday expressed deep disappointment over the Centre’s recent statement in the Rajya Sabha regarding the proposed Mekedatu dam project, writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand an immediate withdrawal of the reply.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Vijay highlighted a response provided on July 27, 2026, by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti in answering Unstarred Question No. 876. The Union Ministry had stated that the Supreme Court's verdict on the Cauvery river dispute does not explicitly mandate Karnataka to obtain the consent of lower riparian states before proceeding with the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
Terming the Union government's stance "disappointing," Chief Minister Vijay urged PM Modi to withdraw the statement, emphasizing that it overlooks settled legal principles and established precedent governing interstate water disputes.
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Vijay’s letter came a day after Union minister of state for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary told the Rajya Sabha that the February 16, 2018 verdict contained no provision requiring Karnataka to secure the approval of Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Puducherry before constructing a structure across the Cauvery. The reply was given to a question raised by PMK MP Anbumani Ramadoss.
In the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh Alamatti case, the apex court has ruled that consent of lower riparian state is absolutely necessary, he underscored.
He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that no approval is granted to Mekedatu dam project unless it is consistent with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Award and the Supreme Court judgement.
