✎ Mekedatu project faces CWC scrutiny for exceeding Cauvery water allocation, requiring revised DPR compliance.

Relevance for Banking, SSC & RBI Grade B exams: Economy/Governance

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has directed Karnataka to revise its Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water Project, citing that the proposed consumptive water use of 6.95 tmcft exceeds the allocation of 6.5 tmcft finalized by the Supreme Court in 2018. The CWC highlighted discrepancies in the project’s water usage calculations, noting that even considering the 36-year-old consumptive use of 2.9 tmcft, the remaining balance available for the project is only 3.6 tmcft or less. Additionally, the CWC questioned the appropriateness of the reservoir’s live storage capacity of 59.46 tmcft, urging Karnataka to align the revised DPR with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Award and CWC guidelines. The project, aimed at supplying drinking water to Bengaluru and its adjoining areas, has faced scrutiny over its potential impact on downstream states like Tamil Nadu, which has raised objections over water diversion.

For banking and SSC aspirants, this case underscores the importance of inter-state water disputes and regulatory oversight in infrastructure projects, a key topic in governance and economy sections. The CWC’s intervention reflects the role of central agencies in ensuring compliance with judicial and tribunal awards, a critical aspect for exams like RBI Grade B, where questions on water resource management and federalism are common. The Mekedatu project also highlights the challenges of balancing regional development with equitable resource distribution, a theme relevant for essays and descriptive questions in these examinations.

Source: The Hindu

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