The Karnataka government has issued a notification to form a team led by the Karnataka Engineering Research Station (KERS) director to expedite Mekedatu project “in view of the favourable Supreme Court order”.
Recently, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, reviewed measures on implementation of the project, and announced that the project office would be set up in Bengaluru South.
The team under the KERS director will comprise an executive engineer, three technical assistants, six assistant engineers, one accountant, a superintendent and other staff.
The Cauveri Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (CNNL) will take steps to set up the Mekedatu project office. The team will function under the leadership of KNNL director and administrative expenses would be borne by the KNNL, according to the Government Order (GO).
The director of KNNL has been instructed to hand over all the relevant documents related to the Mekedatu project to the KERS director, the GO said.
What SC said
The Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on November 13 pronounced its verdict, refusing to entertain the Tamil Nadu’s application against Karnataka’s proposed project and termed the Tamil Nadu’s objection premature.
The top court had observed that Karnataka would be bound to release the share of Cauvery water allotted to the lower riparian States of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Karnataka has been arguing that building a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu would help in ensuring proper release of water to Tamil Nadu as per its share.
Published – December 12, 2025 06:32 pm IST
