Bengaluru, 8 November

There is no need for Karnataka to seek permission from anyone anymore to build the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Sunday, a day after his Tamil Nadu counterpart C Joseph Vijay urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to grant statutory approval for the mega dam on the Cauvery river.

“I hope that Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister know the law of the land,” Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru. “No need of permission from anyone. The Supreme Court of India has already given permission (and said) that Karnataka is eligible to build the dam on its own site. And it has put a condition that we should give them (Tamil Nadu) 177 TMC of water.”

“Tamil Nadu will have more benefit from the Mekedatu reservoir,” Shivakumar added.

Shivakumar has said that the dam will allow Karnataka to ensure that it releases the stipulated amount of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, especially in crisis times. This will also help farmers in the Cauvery basin as it will alleviate stress on other dams, Shivakumar had said. He argues that the dam is needed as it will provide 4.75 TMC feet of drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas and generate 400 MW of renewable hydroelectric power.

The proposed site for the dam is near the confluence of the Cauvery and Arkavathi, near Shivakumar’s home of Kanakapura.

“We have already identified about 5,400 hectares of forest land in other parts, which we are going to give to the forest department. So already that process is work on the way. As soon as it is finished, we are going to apply there. The water commission will have to take a decision. So Karnataka stands united," he said, adding that support for the dam cut across party lines in Karnataka.

"There's no question of fighting. The fighting days are over. The Supreme Court has given a verdict. Let us respect the law of this land. Let us work together. Let us share water. Let us share the unity between ourselves. We all are one,” he added.

Vijay, in his letter to Modi, had urged the Centre to defer any technical, administrative, or statutory clearances, saying that such a dam could severely impact the farmers on Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery Delta.