Karnataka Chief Minister flags Mekedatu project
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar advocated for the Mekedatu project at the Southern Zonal Council, framing it as a cooperative effort for water sharing. He emphasized the need for dialogue between riparian states to resolve long-standing water disputes.
Why it matters
Inter-state water disputes are a major source of political and social tension in Southern India, impacting agricultural stability.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar brought up the issue of the Mekedatu project at the Southern Zonal Council, arguing that the project is important not only for Karnataka but for Tamil Nadu as well.
“Senior leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu told me that we need to solve the Cauvery water issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Let me assure you, every drop of water from the Mekedatu project will help farmers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Help us help you,” he appealed, according to a communique from the Chief Minister’s Office.
In his address on water issues, Mr. Shivakumar said rivers such as the Cauvery, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Pennar and Palar were the lifelines of the southern peninsula and called for a shift from “water sharing to water cooperation”.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in