Tamil Nadu Farmers Announce 5-Day Protest From September 20 Over Mekedatu Dam Project

The Cauvery water dispute is heading for another flashpoint, with the Coordination Committee of All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu announcing a five-day state-wide campaign from September 20 against Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project.

The campaign will begin at Poompuhar, farmers' body president P R Pandian said on Friday after a five-hour meeting between a farmers' delegation and Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Gurugram.

Pandian accused Karnataka's political leadership of pursuing the Mekedatu project for political gains and strongly opposed the proposed dam across the Cauvery. He described the Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted by Karnataka to the Central Water Commission as fraudulent and legally invalid, claiming it lacked the required consent of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and the Cauvery Water Management Authority.

The farmers' body urged the Centre to deny environmental and forest clearances to the project, arguing that the dam could adversely affect agriculture in both states.

Pandian rejected Karnataka's drinking-water rationale for the project, saying a reservoir at Mekedatu would not benefit farmers and could instead damage agriculture. He claimed the proposed site, located deep in forested areas downstream of the Krishnarajasagara dam, offered little advantage even to Karnataka's farming community.

As an alternative, he proposed constructing a dam at Rasimanal in Tamil Nadu, saying farmers from both states had agreed on the site during a joint meeting in 2024.

The delegation also pressed for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and implementation of the M S Swaminathan Committee's recommendations. Other demands included withdrawal of the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act, an end to mandatory smart-meter installations and amendments to the Land Acquisition Act.

Khattar assured the delegation that the issues would be discussed with concerned departments and brought to the Prime Minister's attention, Pandian said.

The farmers also sought additional agricultural assistance due to the El Niño impact, along with funds to desilt water bodies ahead of the northeast monsoon and strengthen groundwater reserves.