Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking central intervention on the Mekedatu reservoir project, according to officials briefed on the communication.
The chief minister asked that approval for Karnataka’s planned balancing reservoir not proceed unless the design and operation conform to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and downstream protections for Tamil Nadu farmers.
Tamil Nadu has long opposed Mekedatu on the grounds that impounding additional water upstream would shrink the share reaching its delta districts during scarce monsoon years. Karnataka maintains the project is needed for drinking water and power generation within its territory.
The letter arrives amid renewed interstate friction over Cauvery releases and committee orders directing daily flows to Tamil Nadu. State water resources departments on both sides have been presenting storage and rainfall data to federal regulators.
Political leaders in Chennai said they would pursue legal and diplomatic channels in parallel while pressing the Union government for a harmonized decision.
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Sources:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/top-news-of-the-day-on-july-28-2026/article71276909.ece