What is the Mekedatu dam project dispute?, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• The Karnataka government will submit a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Centre for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river.
• The Supreme Court termed Tamil Nadu's challenge to the project as "premature," potentially allowing the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Central Water Commission (CWC) to review Karnataka's proposal.
• The Mekedatu project, estimated at ₹9,000 crore, aims to impound 67.16 TMC of water and generate 400 MW of hydropower.
• Bengaluru faces a water shortage of 500 MLD, with demand projected to reach 4,000 MLD by the time the city's population hits 20 million.

Detailed Insights:

• The Mekedatu project involves constructing a reservoir near Mekedatu, about 100 km from Bengaluru, submerging approximately 4,996 hectares of land, including forest and wildlife areas.
• Karnataka aims to utilize an additional 4.75 TMC of water allocated by the Supreme Court in its 2018 judgment to address Bengaluru's growing drinking water needs.
• Tamil Nadu fears that the project could lead to excessive water storage by Karnataka, affecting water release to the lower riparian state, especially during critical periods.
• Alternatives to the project include rainwater harvesting, which could yield about 15 TMC annually, and reuse of treated wastewater, potentially providing about 16 TMC annually for Bengaluru.
• The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's Expert Appraisal Committee emphasized the need for an "amicable solution" between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu due to inter-State issues.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Detailed Project Report (DPR): A comprehensive document outlining the plan, cost, and impact of a proposed project.
• Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA): An authority constituted to implement the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's award and manage the river's water resources.
• Inter-State River Dispute: Disagreements between states over the allocation and usage of water from rivers that flow through multiple states.