D.K. Shivakumar with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and officials in New Delhi. Photo supplied with the press release.
New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has urged Tamil Nadu to send a delegation to inspect the Mekedatu project site, offering full cooperation and saying he would seek a meeting with the neighbouring State’s Chief Minister on the proposed reservoir.
Speaking at Karnataka Bhavan on Monday after meeting Union Ministers, Shivakumar said Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil had understood Karnataka’s position that water from the project would be used for drinking purposes and could not be diverted for irrigation. He described Patil’s response to the State’s requests as positive.
Tamil Nadu site visit sought as Karnataka presses DPR clearance
Shivakumar said alternative land had been identified for forest land that would be submerged by the project and that a central team had visited the site. A visiting Tamil Nadu team would also receive full cooperation, he said.
Referring to disputes over releases of 5,000 cusecs, he said KRS had not filled and farmers in the Kabini region were protesting. He said these circumstances had been placed before the authorities while pursuing the project.
In a letter personally handed to Patil at his New Delhi residence, Shivakumar sought early appraisal and clearance by the Central Water Commission (CWC) of the ₹16,745-crore Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project.
According to the letter, Karnataka submitted the detailed project report (DPR), along with its compliance report, to the CWC on August 13, 2026. The State requested that the appraisal be completed on priority to address drinking water needs.
Krishna award notification and Mahadayi meetings
On the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II award, Shivakumar requested the Ministry of Jal Shakti to move the Supreme Court, seek to implead itself and press for early publication of the award in the Gazette.
His letter stated that the matter came up before the court on September 23 and was listed with pending civil appeals for November 4, 2026. Early notification would allow Karnataka to use its allocated share and pursue associated irrigation projects, he said.
At the press conference, Shivakumar said the Centre had assured a joint meeting on Mahadayi and forest-related issues, and a meeting of neighbouring States’ Chief Ministers to address the Upper Krishna Project. He said political commitment was needed and that a separate meeting with the Forest Department had been sought.
₹5,300-crore Upper Bhadra assistance sought
Shivakumar said the ₹5,300 crore announced for the Upper Bhadra Project in the Union Budget 2023–24 had not yet been released. He urged an early decision, saying the State had repeatedly sought the funds and had been told the matter was before the Cabinet.
The letter said the project’s revised cost estimate of ₹21,167.93 crore was appraised at the Ministry’s Advisory Committee meeting on March 20, 2026. It requested that the Union Minister recommend to the 16th Finance Commission its inclusion under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and facilitate early Central assistance.
Timely funding was needed to sustain work and deliver benefits to drought-prone areas of Central Karnataka, Shivakumar said.
Irrigation proposals and river-link water share
Karnataka also sought CWC appraisal and clearances for proposals under PMKSY and the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FBMAP), covering irrigation development, modernisation, flood mitigation and other water-management works.
For the Godavari–Cauvery Link and Bedti–Varada (Hirevadatti) Link projects, the State has conveyed in-principle concurrence to the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) for signing a Memorandum of Agreement, subject to certain considerations.
Shivakumar sought a review of Karnataka’s proposed share and an equitable allocation comparable with other beneficiary States, taking into account its requirements in the Krishna and Cauvery basins.
Drought relief and all-party delegation
Shivakumar said more than 200 taluks were drought-affected and that Karnataka had initially sought ₹700 crore for 101 taluks. The amount sought would rise with the number of affected taluks, he said, adding that a central team was due to assess the situation on October 3.
He also said an all-party delegation was planned on the Kasturirangan report, drought and water issues, and urged parties to work together to protect the State’s interests.
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