The term "Mekedatu D" is not a recognized Indian concept, but it strongly suggests the Mekedatu Dam Project, a proposed multi-purpose balancing reservoir in Karnataka. This project is a concept initiated by the Government of Karnataka to address water and power needs.
The project is planned across the Cauvery River near the deep gorge of Mekedatu, which translates to "Goat's Leap" in Kannada, in the Ramanagara district, approximately 90-100 km from Bengaluru. The proposal was first significantly advanced in November 2014 when the Karnataka government, under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, invited expressions of interest and allocated ₹25 crore in the 2015 Budget for a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The primary problem it aims to solve is securing an additional 4.75 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of drinking water for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region and generating 400 MW of hydroelectric power.
The mechanism involves constructing a concrete gravity dam, proposed to be 99 meters high and 735 meters long, with a gross storage capacity of approximately 67.16 TMC (though earlier estimates were 48 TMC). Karnataka maintains that the project will not violate the water sharing agreement, as it is designed to regulate the flow and ensure the downstream commitment of 177.25 TMC to Tamil Nadu is met, as per the Supreme Court's judgment.
The project is deeply connected to the long-standing Cauvery River Water Dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the project, arguing that increased upstream storage would impede the flow of water downstream, violating the final award of the Cauvery River Water Tribunal (CRWT) and the subsequent Supreme Court judgment of February 16, 2018. Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court against the project and argues that the project violates Clause XI of the Tribunal Award, which stipulates that an upper riparian State shall not take action that affects scheduled water deliveries to lower riparian States. The project requires approval of its DPR by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and clearances from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. As of recent reports, the project has not been replaced or amended, but remains a contentious proposal awaiting central statutory and administrative approvals.