Why Tamil Nadu is Opposing Karnataka’s Mekedatu Project

Neelambaran: The Tamil Nadu government is opposing the proposed Mekedatu project across river Cauvery by the Karnataka government. The water from the river being the lifeline for the irrigation of the Cauvery delta region, the apprehensions of the farmers and the government are increasing with Karnataka reiterating its plan every now and then.

In 2018, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution against the proposal and sought the intervention of the Union government, citing the Supreme Court judgement on the rights of the lower riparian states.

On Monday, July 12, an all-party meeting passed a resolution against the proposal, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) extending its support.

The delta region, known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, could end up facing shortage of water for cultivation, dealing a severe blow to the farmers of at least eight districts, if the project takes off.

Image Credit: Prakash R

‘PROJECT COULD REDUCE CULTIVABLE LAND’

The government of Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu project in Ramanagara district, plans to store around 66 tmcft across a deep gorge. The government of Karnataka submitted the detailed project report (DPR) in 2019. The Tamil Nadu has been opposed to the project since then. 

The TN government claims the project, aimed at providing drinking water to a few districts, including Bengaluru, also includes a 400MW power project. 

V Sethuraman, an expert in water disputes and an office bearer of Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF), has raised suspicion over the plans of the Karnataka government of.

“The government has not taken the opinion of any other lower riparian states, including Tamil Nadu, on the project. Construction of another dam, with a capacity of even 5 tmcft of water, can be a huge setback to the Cauvery delta region”, said Sethuraman.

Another claim by the Karnataka government on preventing excess water from draining to the sea, is hardly justifiable, since any excess discharge at such times will lead to flooding and heavy crop damage. 

“To maintain the salinity of sea water, freshwater rivers must flow into the sea. The rich sea treasures in the Arabina sea is a classic example of the same”, Sethuraman said.  

Cultivable land in the delta region has reduced over the recent decades for various reasons, including rising input costs and  projects, including hydrocarbon extraction. The TN government has finally declared the delta region as ‘Protected Special Agricultural Zone’, to prevent any new projects being implemented.

HISTORY DATES BACK TO SECOND CENTURY

The ‘Kallanai’ or ‘Grand Anicut’ was built in Thanjavur district during the second century by the Chola kings for redirecting water from the Cauvery river to the delta regions for cultivation. The Cauvery river originates in Karnataka and flows east through Tamil Nadu, before flowing into the Bay of Bengal in Poompuhar. Parts of Kerala and Puducherry are parts of the Cauvery basin. 

The Kallanai was re-modelled twice in the 19th century to further increase cultivable land in the region. 

The construction, some 2,000 years ago, testifies the significance of the Cauvery for the delta region. The dispute started to set in after the construction of Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam in 1932, when the Princely state of Mysore and Madras presidency were in existence. 

The Mettur dam, the largest in Tamil Nadu, was built in 1934 to store the water from Cauvery. The dam can hold almost double the capacity of KRS. Incidentally, the Cauvery water sharing agreement between the two states, signed in 1924, expired in 1974. 

“Tamil Nadu used to receive around 900 tmcft of water in the 1900s as per information. After the construction of KRS in the 1930s and three other dams in the 1970s by Karnataka, the water flow toward the delta region was reduced. Tamil Nadu filed a case in 1971 following reduced water discharge”, said Sethuraman. 

The dams, Herangi, Kabini and Hemavathi were built in 1970, 1974 and 1979, respectively, across Cauvery and its tributaries by Karnataka.  

Commenting on the fast paced action of the Karnataka government on such dams, Sethuaman said: “These dams were constructed without the permission of the Union government --Tamil Nadu constructed the Bhavanisagar dam (Erode district) and Amaravathi dam (Tiruppur district) in 1956 and 1957 for flood control and irrigation in the region, across the tributaries, with proper permission”, Sethuraman said.

LEGAL STRUGGLES SINCE 1970

The reduced water share forced the government of Tamil Nadu to seek legal remedies. After filing a case, seeking fair share of water, the state sought the formation of a tribunal in 1970, close on the heels of the expiry of the agreement signed in 1924.

The formation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was preceded by a two decade-long legal battle, says Sethuraman. 

“Since the water sharing agreement expired in 1974 and Karnataka built three dams in a decade, and Tamil Nadu has taken legal course for remedy. A resolution was passed in an all-party meeting in 1989, followed by an Assembly resolution in 1990, leading to the notification of on June 2, 1990”, he added.

A report has estimated that 378 tmcft of water entered Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu, the inter-state border in Dharmapuri district. “The estimate was made in 1974, which was much lower than what Tamil Nadu was receiving in those years”, Sethuraman said. 

INTERIM JUDGEMENT AND REDUCED SHARE

After initially rejecting TN’s plea for interim relief in January 1991, the CWDT passed an order for relief on the Supreme Court’s direction on Tamil Nadu’s appeal.  Karnataka was ordered to release 205 tmcft of water in July 1991.

“Karnataka passed an ordinance against the order, but the apex court slashed it and upheld the ruling of the CWDT. The award was published in the government gazette in December 1991 and orders created a huge outcry in Karnataka, followed by violence”, Sethuraman added. 

Seven years later, in 1998, the Union government constituted the Cauvery River Authority to implement the interim order of the CWDT. 

“The 2007 award required Karnataka to release 192 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu in 10 monthly instalments every year. But in 2018, the Supreme court ordered the allocation of 177.25 tmcft water for Tamil Nadu.”, Sethuraman said. 

The allocation was reduced, considering the increase in demand for agriculture and drinking water needs of Bengaluru city and neighbouring districts.

The orders on release of water or allocation to Tamil Nadu have witnessed violence in Karnataka on multiple occasions. Police firing killed one person in 2016, while 2018 witnessed sporadic violence across the state, including in Bengaluru. 

The 2018 order has instructed the setting up of a Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRA). The former is entrusted with the responsibilities of oversee the storage, apportionment, regulation and control of Cauvery waters while the latter will monitor the daily water levels, inflows and storage position at major reservoirs storing the Cauvery water.

“Karnataka has to comply with the orders and release water on a monthly basis. Releasing water once the dams are full and heavy rains won't help anyone across the states”, Sethuraman said,