MEKEDATU MULTI-PURPOSE PROJECT

MEKEDATU MULTI-PURPOSE PROJECT

Subject : Economy / Geography

Context :The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed a joint committee to look into allegations of unauthorised construction activity taking place in Mekedatu, where the Karnataka government had proposed to construct a dam across the Cauvery River.

Concept :

• Acting suomotu based on a media report, the NGT has directed the panel to submit a report on or before July 5.
• The Mekedatu multi-purpose project involves building a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district.
• It envisages supplying drinking water to Bengaluru and Ramanagaram districts, besides generation of power.
• The project was conceived in 2013 and in 2017, the Karnataka state cabinet decided to implement it.
• The project, however, ran into a controversy after Tamil Nadu opposed it on the grounds that the project violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award.