Stories
DMK Slams TN CM Vijay for Silence on Mekedatu-Cauvery Issue at Southern CMs Meet
- •DMK attacked Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay for his silence on the Mekedatu Dam and Cauvery water dispute during a southern CMs meet with Amit Shah.
- •DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran highlighted that Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar openly advocated for the Mekedatu dam, while Vijay remained silent.
- •Southern states supported Amit Shah's suggestion to resolve water disputes through dialogue at the meeting.
- •Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar stated that Tamil Nadu's interests would be protected if the Mekedatu reservoir is constructed, committing to share water.
- •Shivakumar also urged the Southern Zonal Council to adopt a resolution for delimitation based on the 1971 census and women's reservation within existing Lok Sabha seats.
Key Questions Answered
The Mekedatu Dam dispute is a long-standing conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the construction of a multi-purpose balancing reservoir on the Cauvery River. Karnataka proposes the dam to provide drinking water for Bengaluru and generate hydroelectric power, while Tamil Nadu opposes it, fearing it will reduce their share of Cauvery water and violate previous agreements and Supreme Court rulings.
Tamil Nadu fears that the Mekedatu dam project could negatively affect its rightful share of Cauvery river water, impacting irrigation and drinking water supplies for millions of people who rely on the river basin.
The Mekedatu-Cauvery issue is a major political flashpoint with implications for alliance politics and is rapidly becoming a significant inter-state issue for the Tamil Nadu government. Regional politics in Tamil Nadu often rewards strong stances on inter-state river disputes.
