Mekedatu project will be a big mistake, says IISc scientist

By Nischith N | NT

Bengaluru: The recent controversy over the Mekedatu dam project has become a bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with politicians of both states trying to safeguard their interests. However, environmentalists have expressed concern about the ecological impact of the project. 

Dr T.V. Ramachandra, scientist and coordinator at the Energy and Wetland Research Group at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, told News Trail that the decision makers of today need to shun the path taken by colonial masters while managing natural resources. To sustain water in a region, the best option is local level rain harvesting and treatment of wastewater, he added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had recently stated that his government was committed to implement the Rs 9,000-crore Mekedatu project across river Cauvery. Reacting on this, Dr Ramachandra, said, “Coming up with senseless and disastrous projects such as Mekedatu will not solve the water crisis. It would aggravate the situation as the project would submerge 5,500 hectares of prime forests, of which 3,500 hectares are in Cauvery wildlife sanctuary. Also these forests have been helping in the filtration of water to an extent of about 90-100 TMC. This highlights that we are submerging an invaluable forest ecosystem to construct a dam, which will store 65 TMC (but the main agenda is looting of natural resources rather than solving any problem of citizens).”

In 2019, the Karnataka government had submitted a report to the central government informing about its plan to construct a reservoir at Mekedatu in Ramanagara district, 90 km from Bengaluru and 4 km from the KarnatakaTamil Nadu border. The project aims to ensure adequate drinking water supply to Bengaluru.

The dam is proposed to be built at the confluence of Cauvery with its tributary Arkavathi. While the dam will have a capacity of holding about 66 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water, it would generate 400MW of hydroelectricity once operational. According to a pre-feasibility report of the project, Karnataka had been considering generating power from the river since 1948. “Forest ecosystems provide services to an extent of Rs 7-8 lakhs per hectare per year (provisioning, regulating and cultural services). Also NPV (Net present value) based on annual ecosystem services amounts to Rs 85-100 billion. The government should make ecological compensation of Rs 100 crore before implementing senseless projects, which will affect both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Sequesters carbon - helps in minimising greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint - helps in lowering carbons emitted by the ill-planned city Bengaluru. The government should take up sustainable options at decentralised levels (rainwater harvesting, etc) and refrain from further degrading our ecosystems,” Ramachandra further added.

The Tamil Nadu government had last year approached the Supreme Court against a National Green Tribunal order, which had closed its proceedings on the Mekedatu project.