Now Reading: Karnataka CM promises Mekedatu benefits for TN, opposition questions Vijay’s silence
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Karnataka CM promises Mekedatu benefits for TN, opposition questions Vijay’s silence
Karnataka CM promises Mekedatu benefits for TN, opposition questions Vijay’s silence
Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar told the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting in Mahabalipuram on Thursday that the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry more than Karnataka. He…
Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar told the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting in Mahabalipuram on Thursday that the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir would benefit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry more than Karnataka. He said Karnataka would take only 5 tmcft of water for drinking, leaving the rest for the two other states. "The dam will be built only for you, not for us," he said, adding that the Cauvery dispute must move from water sharing to water cooperation.
Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay responded without naming Mekedatu, saying lower riparian rights and Supreme Court awards must be protected. The DMK, Tamil Nadu's main opposition, accused Vijay of silence on the issue while Shivakumar spoke openly. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said Vijay "did not utter a single word in opposition."
The meeting was chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah. Shivakumar also sought Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project and tougher drug laws. The Cauvery dispute remains unresolved, with the next steps pending before the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Times of India led with DK Shivakumar's cooperative pitch for the Mekedatu dam, framing it as a goodwill offer to Tamil Nadu. Hindustan Times, by contrast, centred the story on DMK's charge that Tamil Nadu CM Vijay remained silent while Shivakumar argued openly for the project. The Times omitted this political criticism entirely, while Hindustan Times gave it prime placement. The measured middle ground is that both sides publicly stated their positions, Shivakumar offered a commitment before the home minister, and Vijay reiterated the rule-of-law principle without explicitly naming Mekedatu. The political fallout in Tamil Nadu, not the water-sharing details, is now the live story. Watch whether the DMK turns this into a state-level debate ahead of the next Cauvery tribunal hearing.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (government critical)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
