Southern CMs Clash Over Cauvery, Mekedatu and Mullaiperiyar at Zonal Council

Long-standing inter-state disputes over water sharing and river projects came to the forefront at the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting held on Friday at the Fishermen’s Cove beach resort in Kovalam near Mahabalipuram. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the conclave, where Southern Chief Ministers firmly presented their respective states' stances on key issues.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who serves as the vice chairperson of the council, was seated beside Karnataka counterpart D K Shivakumar. During the deliberations, Shivakumar raised the contentious Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, arguing that it would benefit not only Karnataka but also farmers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, making an appeal to Tamil Nadu to support the initiative. Tamil Nadu has maintained strong opposition to the Mekedatu project on grounds that it would restrict the natural flow of the Cauvery river.

Shivakumar also noted that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu spoke with him about resolving the Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. According to Shivakumar, Naidu assured a supply of 500 TMC of water by linking the Cauvery and Godavari rivers to help alleviate Tamil Nadu’s water shortages.

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan revived Kerala's long-standing demand to decommission the Mullaiperiyar dam, asserting that the existing 1895 structure is unsafe and threatens downstream populations. Satheesan urged Tamil Nadu to construct its own dam within its territory, offering that Kerala would bear the construction cost while ensuring Tamil Nadu receives its full designated share of water.

Beyond river disputes, Shivakumar raised the delimitation issue, aligning with Tamil Nadu's position. He called on the Southern Zonal Council to pass a resolution urging the Union government to retain the 1971 census as the basis for delimitation and maintain the Lok Sabha's strength at 543 seats for the next 25 years, while accommodating women's reservation within that count. He stressed that southern states should not lose political weight or representation for successfully managing population growth.

The Southern Zonal Council brings together Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, along with the Union Territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.