The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Zone, has appointed a joint committee to look into allegations of unauthorised construction activity taking place in Mekedatu.
- The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Department of Forests, State of Karnataka, would be the nodal agency for coordination and for providing necessary logistics for this purpose, it added.
What is Mekadatu Project?
- The Karnataka government has proposed to construct a dam across the Cauvery River in Mekedatu.
- The project is aimed at providing drinking water facilities to Bengaluru Metropolitan region and its surrounding areas (4.75 TMC) and generate 400 MW of power as an additional benefit.
Why the project is being opposed?
- The construction will have impact on nearby reserve forests and sanctuaries as well.
- No sanction or necessary clearances have been obtained under the Forest Conservation Act and also under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 for this purpose.
- The dam, once completed, may have some impact on the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and nearby reserve forests, as large extent of land namely, 5,252.40 hectare is likely to be affected as submergence area.
- Tamil Nadu says that dam proposal by Karnataka in the Cauvery basin would deprive it’s delta farmers of their rightful share of water.
