Tamil NaduThursday, 16 July 2026·The Hindu - Tamil Nadu
Mekedatu dispute: Tamil Nadu farmers protest Karnataka’s reservoir plan and cite Cauvery water loss
Farmers protested at Hosur on July 15, 2026, opposing Karnataka’s Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project and citing large Cauvery-linked crop losses in Tamil Nadu.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On July 15, 2026, hundreds of farmers from Tamil Nadu gathered near Zuzuvadi in Hosur and protested against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project, saying the Cauvery issue had already caused major losses to the Delta region.
Key specifics
- The protest was organised under Tamizhaga Vivasaya Sangagalin Kootiyakkam near the inter-State border at Zuzuvadi, Hosur.
- Farmers said 7 lakh acres of Kuruvai crop had been stalled because Cauvery water was not released.
- The farmers cited a production loss of 15 lakh tonnes and a loss of 83 man-days per acre.
- They said the issue affected 13 lakh farm labourers and 5 lakh small and marginal farmers.
- They noted that in Tamil Nadu the Mettur dam is opened on June 12 and closed on January 22, while Karnataka was accused of drawing Cauvery water at will.
Exam lens
Inter-State river dispute question type, Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project, Hosur, July 15, 2026, 7 lakh acres, 15 lakh tonnes, Mettur dam dates June 12 and January 22; TNPSC may ask about the Cauvery dispute, Delta agriculture, or the significance of Mekedatu.