A proposed meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his Tamil Nadu counterpart C Joseph Vijay has opened a fresh political channel to address the long-running Cauvery dispute, with both governments indicating a willingness to discuss water sharing and Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir amid worsening drought conditions across the basin.
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Tamil Nadu minister for agriculture and farmers’ welfare R Vinoth said on Friday that Vijay would travel to Karnataka in the first week of August to raise the Mekedatu issue, reiterating the state’s opposition to the project.
“The chief minister is set to visit Karnataka next month. Right from the beginning, we have been saying that the Government of Tamil Nadu will not permit Karnataka to construct the dam. The chief minister is going regarding this matter in the first week of August,” Vinoth said.
He said Vijay would also seek Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water after Karnataka informed the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) that it could not release additional water for June and July because of deficient rainfall.
“The chief minister will demand Tamil Nadu’s share of water for the sake of establishing our rights,” Vinoth said.
Responding to reports of the proposed meeting, Shivakumar said Karnataka was willing to resolve inter-state issues through dialogue and was prepared to engage with Tamil Nadu.
Speaking after attending the CEOs’ Breakfast Meeting ahead of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, he declined to disclose details of a letter sent by the Tamil Nadu chief minister, saying the state government had been occupied with Cabinet expansion and other official work.
“I don’t want to disclose now. I’m very busy next week with my Cabinet expansion and all those things. We are ready to speak with everyone, share things with everyone and work with everyone,” Shivakumar said.
According to officials familiar with the matter, Tamil Nadu sought the meeting and Shivakumar subsequently invited Vijay for talks in Bengaluru, with August 3 being considered as a tentative date. There is no confirmation yet on whether Vijay has accepted the invitation.
The discussions are expected to focus on Cauvery water releases and Karnataka’s proposal to build the Mekedatu balancing reservoir in Shivakumar’s Kanakapura Assembly constituency. Tamil Nadu has opposed the project for nearly 15 years, arguing that it would adversely affect farmers, particularly in the Cauvery delta.
Earlier this week, Vijay chaired a consultation with legal experts who have represented the Tamil Nadu government in the Mekedatu litigation over the past 15 years. State minister for natural resources and law R Nirmal Kumar said the government would decide its next course of action after examining the recommendations made during the meeting.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu have also sharpened their stand ahead of the proposed talks.
BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said, “Vijay during the meeting should very categorically and clearly state that the Mekedatu dam cannot be built without Tamil Nadu’s consent. I think since Congress is also in the government in Tamil Nadu, he has to say it very, very clearly that they cannot play games.”
On July 23, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the Tamil Nadu government to press Karnataka to release the state’s allocated share of Cauvery water for June and July. He said Karnataka had released 2.91 tmcft against the 9.19 tmcft mandated under the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on July 19 opposing Karnataka’s plan to construct the Mekedatu reservoir. Vijay led the resolution, with opposition parties, including the AIADMK and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, extending support. The Tamil Nadu Congress also backed the government’s stand despite the Congress being in power in Karnataka.
The proposed meeting comes days after Karnataka told the CWMA that it could not release additional Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu under the Supreme Court-mandated monthly schedule because of deficient rainfall and drought-like conditions.
Karnataka informed the Authority that storage in its four Cauvery basin reservoirs stood at 48.979 tmcft against the 30-year average of 81.528 tmcft. Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, said it had received 3.442 tmcft between June 1 and July 19 against its scheduled allocation of 28.337 tmcft, leaving 24.896 tmcft yet to be released.
Karnataka told the Authority that below-normal rainfall over the past five weeks in Kodagu, Hassan, Mysuru, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara and neighbouring districts had sharply reduced inflows into reservoirs. The Authority said the Cauvery basin was entering a distress year and advised basin states to prioritise drinking water over irrigation while continuing to follow the water-sharing framework laid down under the Cauvery award for years of deficient inflows.
(With inputs from Arun Dev in Bengaluru)
