Mettur, August 22: A senior Central Water Commission (CWC) official inspected the Mettur Dam on Friday and is expected to visit Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu reservoir site on Saturday, drawing attention amid the continuing Cauvery water dispute between the two states.
Yogesh Baithankar, Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and a CWC member, arrived at the dam on Friday evening. Accompanied by Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department officials, he reviewed the reservoir’s condition and operational arrangements.
Baithankar visited the Platinum Jubilee Tower on the dam’s right bank and sought information about the current water level, storage position, inflow from the Cauvery and the quantity of water being released for irrigation and other requirements.
After completing the inspection, he left for Biligundlu, the interstate gauging station where the Cauvery enters Tamil Nadu from Karnataka and the flow of water is officially measured.
Baithankar is reportedly scheduled to inspect the proposed Mekedatu project site in Karnataka on Saturday morning. Tamil Nadu Public Works Department officials, however, said they had not received confirmation of the visit’s schedule or purpose.
The inspection comes shortly after the Southern Zonal Council meeting held at Kovalam near Mamallapuram. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the meeting, attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, other southern Chief Ministers and senior officials.
The Cauvery water-sharing dispute and Karnataka’s proposed balancing reservoir at Mekedatu were among the interstate issues discussed at the meeting.
Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the Mekedatu project, maintaining that another structure across the Cauvery could restrict water flow to the downstream state. Karnataka says the reservoir is intended to meet Bengaluru’s drinking-water requirements and generate hydroelectric power.
Mettur Dam Executive Engineer Venkatachalam, Assistant Executive Engineer Selvaraj and Assistant Engineer Satish accompanied Baithankar. No formal statement has been issued on the outcome of the inspection.
