Lagatar24 Desk
Chennai: Karnataka’s bid to secure clearance for the Mekedatu project suffered a setback after the Central Water Commission (CWC) returned the state’s detailed project report (DPR) last month, citing significant changes made to the revised scheme submitted by the state in April this year.
CWC Flags Major Changes in Revised Scheme
According to CWC, the revised plan includes linking the Mekedatu project with the Shivanasamudra hydroelectric project through a diversion weir across the Cauvery river, a component not part of the original proposal. The commission also flagged concerns over the proposed excess water use and what it described as an inappropriate basis for calculating the reservoir’s storage capacity. In a communication to Karnataka’s Mekedatu Project Zone, accessed by NGO Poovulagin Nanbargal through an RTI request, CWC called for a fresh report with details and drawings compliant with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s award and the commission’s appraisal guidelines. A CWC official told TOI that changes identified in the project’s scope prompted the report’s return for resubmission in line with the tribunal’s directives.
Project’s Approval History Traced Back to 2018
CWC had given in-principle consent for preparation of the report in November 2018 after considering the views of co-basin states. Karnataka submitted the report to CWC the following year, after which the commission referred it to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). In February 2024, the authority sent the report back to CWC to examine its technical and economic aspects and establish feasibility. According to CWC, the revised scheme differs materially from both the feasibility report submitted in August 2018 and the detailed project report filed in January 2019, with the original proposal limited to a single Mekedatu balancing reservoir intended to supply drinking water to the Bengaluru metropolitan region and surrounding areas.
CWC Raises Concerns Over Water Allocation and Environmental Impact
The latest proposal’s inclusion of the Shivanasamudra project component raises additional concerns, with a CWC official noting that its implications, including environmental impact, submergence and changes in water flow volume, must be thoroughly examined. CWC also pointed out that Karnataka’s proposed increase in consumptive water use from 4.75 tmcft to 6.95 tmcft exceeds the allocation permitted under the Supreme Court’s order, which had granted the state 6.5 tmcft for the consumptive needs of its urban and rural population, including existing usage.
