The Mekedatu project is critical to UPSC. You will be able to discover everything you need to know about Mekedatu Falls or the Sangama Project & Dam right here. We will also discuss the historical context, Tamil Naidu’s opposition, the Cauvery River dispute, and the Interstate Dispute. All of the information will be provided in the context of the IAS Exam. As a result, read the entire article.
What is Mekedatu Project?
Mekedatu, which means “goat’s leap,” is a deep gorge located near the junction of the Cauvery and its tributary Arkavathi rivers. The Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project have both financial and social benefits because it presents a plan to provide drinking water for over 100 lakh people while also generating 400 MW of power. However, you must also agree that the project necessitates the acquisition of 5252.40 Ha of land.
As a result, this project is being suggested with the goal of conserving water, preventing energy shortages, and providing drinking water services to Bangalore and nearby towns in the Cauvery basin. Another key topic for your UPSC Exam is India’s Biosphere Reserves. Get all the information you need about Biosphere Reserves in India, including a map and other helpful information. Don’t forget to check out the provided link. Now, let us discuss the Mekedatu Falls or Sangama Project & Dam, which is important for the UPSC
Objectives of Mekedatu Dam Project
The Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project have the following goals:
- To provide water for drinking to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Area and its surrounding areas by presenting a system to tap water from the beachfront of the proposed Mekedatu project using the additional 4.75 TMC (thousand million cubic ft) of water.
- Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited plans to harness about 400 MW of renewable energy (hydroelectric power) each year (CNNL).
- To limit the amount of water delivered to Tamil Nadu on a monthly basis in order to contain floodwaters and prevent them from leaking into the sea, as happened during the 2018 monsoon.
Mekedatu Dam Project Location
- The project will be built in Ontigondlu, about 1.5 kilometers from Mekedatu (literally, Goat’s leap), near the junction of the Cauvery & Arkavathi rivers. It’s 90 kilometers southwest of Bengaluru and 4 kilometers from the Tamil Nadu state line.
- Muguru & Mekedatu villages, Kanakapura & Kollegal taluks, Ramanagara and Chamarajanagar Districts of Karnataka are home to the Mekedatu project.
- Mekedatu dam is around 3.0 kilometers downstream of the ‘Sangama’ confluence of the Arkavathy and Cauvery rivers.
- The dam’s left flank is now in Ramanagara District, whereas the right flank is in Chamarajanagar District.
- The Cauvery river’s centerline forms the administrative border between the two districts.
The Dispute
Cauvery River Dispute
- Cauvery is the 4th largest river in southern India and is known as ‘Ponni’ in Tamil. It is also called the Ganga of the South.
- It is a sacred river in India’s south. Cauvery River begins on the Western Ghats’ Brahmagiri Hill in southwestern Karnataka, runs southeast through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and then descends the Eastern Ghats in a succession of tremendous falls before draining into the Bay of Bengal through Pondicherry.
- Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini, and Harangi are some of its tributaries.
- Historical Background
- Because the river begins in Karnataka, passes through Tamil Nadu with important tributaries from Kerala, and empties into the Bay of Bengal through Pondicherry, the conflict affects three states and one union territory.
- The origins of the conflict may be traced back to two arbitration agreements signed between the then-Madras presidency and Mysore in 1892 and 1924.
- It established the idea that any building project, like a reservoir on the Cauvery River, must be approved by the lower riparian state.
- Historical Background
Opposition by Tamil Naidu
- Tamil Nadu opposes any project in the upper riparian zone until the Supreme Court permits it.
- Karnataka has no legal authority to build a reservoir on an interstate river without the permission of the lower riparian state, in this case, Tamil Nadu.
- The project goes against a final ruling of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), which said that no state could claim exclusive control of interstate rivers’ waters or seek rights to deprive other states of those resources.
- Because the existing storage facilities in the Cauvery basin were considered adequate for storing and distributing water by the CWDT and the SC, Karnataka’s proposal is ex-facie (on the surface) unworkable and should be rejected outright.
Interstate Issues
- River Cauvery originates in Karnataka and flows for 320 kilometers through Karnataka before entering Tamil Nadu.
- It flows for 357 kilometers in Tamil Nadu before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
- The Tamil Nadu govt has sought the Union government to revoke the Karnataka government’s authorization to write a detailed project report (DPR) on the dam at Mekedatu’s development.
- The Tamil Nadu government believes that the upper riparian state (Karnataka) currently has the infrastructure to meet the water needs of Bengaluru’s metropolitan city and that the Mekedatu project is unnecessary.
- Supreme Court is now hearing Tamil Nadu’s appeals against the project.
- The government has yet to approve the project’s environmental impact.
Important for UPSC Mekedatu Project
This project has been under scrutiny since 1948. This was during the presidency of Madras. With the help of this article, you may prepare for the Mekedatu project UPSC topic for your exam. Aspirants may find this material helpful because this topic is covered in the UPSC Syllabus for GS 1 and GS 2. If you’re studying for the UPSC exam, you’ll need a lot of information about this project. Below are some important points to keep in mind for your exam.
- Mekedatu (Sangama) Balancing Reservoir & Drinking Water Project is the project’s full title.
- The entire project proposal will be developed over a period of 48 months or four years.
- In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, there have been disagreements about the project.
- The entire cost of the proposed project is projected to be 9000 crores rupees.
Conclusion-Mekedatu Falls or Sangama
In conclusion, we discussed the Mekedatu (Sangama) Fall Project and Dam in this post. We hope you have gathered all of the relevant information and data about this project. If you are preparing for the UPSC, this is highly important. As a result, be aware of the project’s goals as well as the source of the conflict. Get more details about the UPSC test and other significant announcements here. Please take a look at the several blogs on this website linked to UPSC notes and information about the curriculum and preparation for various exam areas.
FAQ- Mekedatu Falls or Sangama
The Kaveri flows through a deep, narrow canyon of strong granite rock near Mekedaatu. The river, which is more than 150 meters wide at its confluence (at Sangama), flows through Mekedatu’s gorge, which is just around ten meters wide. The falls are known as Goat’s leaps because a goat is thought to be able to leap over them. Mekedatu is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. every day.
Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) intends to construct a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River near Mekedatu. CNNL became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Government of Karnataka on June 4, 2003, in accordance with the rules of The Companies Act, 1956.
Sangama is the confluence of the Arakavathi & Kaveri rivers. Mekedatu is a 3.5-kilometer-downstream location where the Kaveri River flows through a deep and tight gorge.
The distance between Bengaluru and Sangam is 395 kilometers. Therefore, the distance is roughly 445.3 kilometers.
According to the CWDT’s 2007 rule, allocations were provided to all riparian states — Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — with the exception of the Union Territory of Puducherry. It further stated that Karnataka would make “tentative monthly deliveries during a normal year” available to Tamil Nadu. However, following another appeal, the Supreme Court altered the water allotment in 2018 and raised Karnataka’s portion at the expense of Tamil Nadu.
Editor’s Note | Mekedatu Falls or Sangama
In Summary, The following article will provide you with all of the information you need about the Mekedatu (Sangama) Falls Project. It is vital for the IAS exam, and we have included all of the relevant details for preparation for your exam. Furthermore, the previous year’s question papers must be reviewed in order to understand the paper syllabus and structure. Later on, it is also necessary to give mock tests in order to assess your abilities and enhance them. UPSC notes are essential for your UPSC test since you can revise them before the paper to answer correctly. So, when reading this essay, don’t forget to take notes. Understand the paper pattern and prepare for the exam thoroughly. Finally, believe in yourself and remember to study hard. We wish you the best of luck in your exam.
