Water emerged as one of the most contentious and consequential issues at the Southern Zonal Council meeting in Mahabalipuram on Thursday, with the southern States flagging long-pending inter-State disputes and competing demands over the Cauvery, Krishna, Godavari, Mullaperiyar and other river basins.
While Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu pushed for greater inter-State cooperation and river-linking to address the region’s long-term water needs, the Chief Ministers of Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana placed their respective States’ claims and concerns firmly on the table. Here is a brief account of what they highlighted in their speeches:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a strong pitch on Thursday for linking major rivers, including the Brahmaputra in the Northeast, with the Cauvery and Godavari in Peninsular India. He said such an initiative could ensure that India faced no water shortage for the next 100 years.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay underscored the importance of ensuring the timely implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment and the Cauvery Tribunal award. On the Mullaperiyar issue, he said safety concerns must continue to be guided by judicial decisions, including the order permitting the water level to be raised to 152 feet.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called for coordinated action on the Godavari–Cauvery river-linking project to utilise more than 500 TMC of surplus water and provide long-term water security to the southern States.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan expressed Kerala’s desire to construct a new Mullaperiyar dam, a proposal that is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu. He said Kerala would bear the entire cost of the project and ensure that Tamil Nadu received its due share of water.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar underscored the need to move from water sharing to water cooperation based on equity, transparency and mutual cooperation, while protecting Karnataka’s lawful share and the rights of riparian States in the Cauvery, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Pennar and Palar basins. He said the Mekedatu project was important not only for Karnataka but also for Tamil Nadu, as every drop of water from the project would benefit farmers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailasanathan said that, as Puducherry has no surface-water resources, the support of the Government of India and neighbouring States, particularly Tamil Nadu, was crucial for the Union Territory. He proposed linking the Sankarabarani and South Pennaiyar rivers with the proposed Godavari Link.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said: “On Krishna waters, we seek no special privilege, but our legitimate entitlements and the protection of downstream rights through established legal frameworks.”
Against the backdrop of the long-standing Cauvery water-sharing issues between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay were also seen sharing a conversation at the meeting.
On Wednesday night, after receiving Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Kovalam resort, visuals showed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay handing over a bag — widely believed to contain food prepared at his home — as a warm gesture.
