Karnataka's position on the Mekedatu project is not without merit. The project is designed primarily to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru, a city of over 10 million people that faces chronic water shortages. The reservoir would store only about 10 tmc ft of water, a fraction of the Cauvery's total flow, and would not divert water from the river but simply regulate it for domestic use. Karnataka argues this does not violate the Cauvery award, which specifically allows projects for drinking water.
The Centre's 'no consent needed' statement is based on the principle that intrastate projects—those entirely within one state's territory—do not require approval from other states. The Mekedatu project is located wholly within Karnataka's geographical boundaries. Requiring Tamil Nadu's consent would essentially give a veto power over Karnataka's internal development, a position that could be used to block essential infrastructure across India.
Tamil Nadu's concerns, while understandable, may also be rooted in politics. The state has used the Cauvery issue to mobilize support, and any compromise is seen as a political loss. Meanwhile, Karnataka's water scarcity is real. Delaying Mekedatu only pushes Bengaluru closer to a crisis, affecting residents, businesses, and the economy.
Rather than blocking the project, Tamil Nadu could seek safeguards, such as monitoring mechanisms or guarantees on water releases. The legal route is already underway in the Supreme Court. Vijay's letter to the PM may be a political move, but the legal and practical arguments lean toward Karnataka's right to proceed without consent for a drinking water project within its borders.