Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project

The Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project which was originally conceived to ensure drinking water supply to the city of Bengaluru aims to store 67 tmc water and will generate over 400 MW of electricity.

What the Mekedatu project?

• The Mekedatu project will be a gravity dam which will store 67.16 tmc water at Mekedatu.
• Of this, 4.5 tmc water will be supplied as drinking water purpose to Bengaluru.
• The project is a major source of contention between the two states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as it is being built over the Cauvery river which is one of the most important sources of water for both the states.
• However, the project has not been granted clearance by the Ministry of Environmental and Forests (MoEF).

What is the issue?

• The project will submerge over 50 sq km of core forest land of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It will proceed only when the Tamil Nadu and the Karnataka government reach an amicable solution.
• However, while the Tamil Nadu government wants to scrap the project is exploring various legal and political options, the Karnataka Government wants the Central Government to proceed with all haste on this project.

?Why this is necessary?

The Mededatu project touches two of the most fundamental problems that Indian policy planners face in the country these days. These are – the lack of proper mechanisms for resolving the center-state or inter-state water disputes and the need to provide water-stressed cities like Bangalore with a future proof supply of water.