Overview
- Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Sunday he will ask the Union government for permission to build Mekedatu after what he described as a favourable Supreme Court reading.
- PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss urged the Tamil Nadu government to convene an all‑party meeting and take legal action, saying Karnataka’s comment that the dam will help farmers signals a move from drinking water use to irrigation.
- Opponents point to a reported rise in the submergence estimate from about 5,000 hectares to 5,400 hectares and say that discrepancy suggests the reservoir could store more than the DPR’s stated 67 TMC.
- Environmental and downstream concerns include loss of forests and wildlife, harm to Karaikal and delta farmers, and warnings that a large reservoir could raise flood risks if damaged in a natural disaster.
- No central clearance or construction has begun and the project remains subject to technical approvals and judicial review, making procedural approvals and court filings the likely next battlegrounds.