P.R.No.081
P.R.No.081
Tamil Nadu promise ledger
P.R.No.081·25 May 2026·dispute

CM holds legal strategy meeting after Karnataka moves to lay foundation stone for Mekedatu dam

After reports that Karnataka plans a foundation-laying ceremony for the Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery, CM Joseph Vijay held a detailed consultation with Cauvery water and legal experts to protect Tamil Nadu's rights and farmers' interests. The meeting noted Tamil Nadu had challenged the project in the Supreme Court in 2018 and 2022 as contrary to earlier rulings; the apex court on November 13, 2025 held it had granted no permission for Mekedatu and closed the case, leaving the matter to the central inter-state water disputes mechanism. Tamil Nadu filed a review petition on December 11, 2025, which was dismissed. The CM directed officials to expedite further legal steps.
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Press Release Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay holds detailed consultations with Cauvery river-water and legal experts, and directs swift follow-up legal action, regarding the Bhoomi Puja proposed by the Karnataka Government for construction of the Mekedatu Dam across the Cauvery river, in order to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights and protect the interests of farmers. A detailed consultation meeting was held today (25.05.2026) at the Secretariat, chaired by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay, with Cauvery river-water experts and legal experts, following the Bhoomi Puja event proposed by the Karnataka Government in connection with the Mekedatu Dam across the Cauvery river, in order to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights and protect the interests of farmers. At the meeting, it was noted that since the proposed Mekedatu Dam across the Cauvery river is contrary to the Supreme Court's judgment, the Tamil Nadu Government had filed petitions before the Supreme Court opposing the project on 30.11.2018 and 7.6.2022. It was further stated that when the Hon'ble Supreme Court heard this Mekedatu Dam-related case on 13.11.2025, it did not grant any permission for the Mekedatu Dam project, that the project is still at a preliminary stage, and that only the Central Water Commission, comprising experts, could determine whether the project falls within the scope of the Supreme Court's earlier judgment; the Court accordingly disposed of the cases. Against the judgment delivered by the Hon'ble Supreme Court on 13.11.2025, the Tamil Nadu Government filed a review petition on 11.12.2025. This review petition, which had undergone hearing before the Hon'ble Supreme Court during the previous administration's tenure and whose verdict had been reserved, was dismissed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. Taking into account the details of the above judgment, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, after detailed legal consultation, advised that the necessary follow-up legal actions be taken up swiftly and immediately. The meeting was attended by Hon'ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources Thiru N. Anand; Hon'ble Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Thiru Athav Arjuna; Hon'ble Minister for Energy, Resources and Law Thiru C.D.R. Nirmal Kumar; Chief Secretary Dr. Mu. Saikumar, IAS; Advocate General Thiru Vijay Narayan; Water Resources Department Principal Secretary Dr. Satyabrata Sahoo, IAS; Public Works Department Principal Secretary Thiru Sungkongam Yadak Siru, IAS; Law Department Secretary Thiru S. George Alexander; and other senior government officials. Senior advocate Thiru G. Umapathy, and Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell and Inter-State River Waters Division, Thiru R. Subramaniam, participated via video conference. Issued by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9
Issued By: Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Chennai